Airport noises have been very disturbing and inconvenient for the residents of Hoofddorp-Noord, Netherlands. As a response, the government formed an independent organization to find a solution to the pressing concern. Working together with architects, the team learned from local residents that the intensity of the runway noise was dependent on the farming season.
"Ground noise is the low, rumbling sound that aircraft make when they take off. That noise can travel even further in winter, when the ground is often wet or frozen."
They then realized that the furrows cut into the ground were helping to redirect the majority of the sound waves.
As a solution, lands were reshaped into ridges and valleys and were arranged into a calculated pattern in order to best absorb the noise. Actually, digging a trench naturally provides the soil needed to build a ridge.
What’s more interesting is that rather than being a mere sound sink, the area was then transformed into a public park with playing fields, cycling paths and art installations!
See more photos here.