Junbo Cheng's sound walk

CMST 3Z03 - Ethan & Diana

Listen to the sound in McMaster lecture hall.

sample walk

This is the best part of Mac! Listen to find out why!

Our Sound Walk proposal presents the campus's common soundscapes in diverse ways. This route extends from Whidden Hall to the Health Sciences Center, focusing on environment, body, and artistry: the melodious notes of a piano intertwined with the creak of automatic doors, footsteps ascending stairs, the hum of elevators, and the whoosh of sliding doors. These sounds reveal the multifaceted ways in which different bodies on campus gain or face limitations in their freedom of movement. A second dimension—the roar of engines, screeching brakes, and announcements at the corner bus stop—links campus mobility to the broader urban pulse. These paths remind Sound Walk participants that soundscapes are not only about access rights but also weave into everyday experience.By foregrounding sound as art, the walk also demonstrates how listening practices reveal the dynamic interplay between environment and human mobility. In doing so, it aligns with course discussions about the aesthetic, bodily, and environmental dimensions of movement while grounding them in McMaster’s lived campus experience.

The sound walk from McMaster bus stop to Starbucks in Student Center.

listen it

sds

“Step into the McMaster Student Center’s soundscape, where architecture, movement, and accessibility converge in everyday life. Listen for the hum of foot traffic, clicks of automatic doors, and overlapping conversations—each a clue to how people navigate this space. Walk carefully, be mindful of physical obstacles, and keep your device volume balanced so you don’t miss real-world cues.”