IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section B

Abstract

This paper explores how soundscapes shape and are shaped by embodied encounters with heritage sites, foregrounding the corporeality of listening as a critical mode of heritage engagement. Moving beyond visual-centric frameworks, it considers body as a method for attuning to the acoustic textures of place—revealing how everyday, archival, and environmental sounds contribute to the multi-sensory experience of cultural heritage. Drawing on the the ‘Corporeality of Listening’ theory from anthropology, the paper examines how walking with sound enables a situated, phenomenological approach to heritage interpretation. It reflects on the tensions between the fixity of heritage sites and the fluid, temporal nature of sound, particularly in spaces marked by layered histories, contested memories, and post-industrial transformations. Using case studies of sonic practices from several heritage sites including the application of immersive audio guides, immersive sound design at the Maritime Greenwich, it investigates how embodied engagement with sound—whether through digital interfaces or on-site audio interventions—can reveal hidden histories and foster inclusive narratives. By centring the body as a listening subject and conduit of memory, the paper argues for an expanded understanding of heritage—one that embraces the affective, ephemeral, and somatic dimensions of place. It invites reflection on how sonic practices at the cultural heritage site can challenge dominant narratives, amplify marginalised voices, and foster more embodied connection with the past.