Ambulance ambiences and siren harmonisations: Applied acoustics research and sound/music design in emergency ambulance vehicles

This paper offers an overview of the process and preliminary results of a collaborative research project, commissioned by Stockholm Regional Council Culture Department and AISAB, the largest provider of ambulance care services in Stockholm, Sweden. The project aimed to explore, in practical terms, how artistic and design methods could transform and improve the experience of ambulance interiors. To this aim, different artistic and design disciplines were convoked, notably sound art and symphonic orchestral music, material artistic practice and architectural lighting design. Focusing here on the music and sound design aspects, the resultant installation hardware and sound materials were subsequently deployed and tested within an operational ambulance space, with initial feedback from paramedics and patients utilised to begin to ascertain the effectiveness of the project’s contribution to creating a more pleasant and engaging soundscape and acoustic experience within this singular, fast-paced and dynamic healthcare environment.