Tag: walkability | ArchDaily

Ideology of Performance: Sustainability and the Limits of Efficiency

Olivia Poston — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:30:00 +0000

This article is part of our new Opinion section, a format for argument-driven essays on critical questions shaping our field.

Reimagining the Complete Neighborhood through Urban Renaturing

Olivia Poston — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 07:30:00 +0000

The ReGreeneration project, a Horizon Europe project led by Inetum and supported by C40 Cities, ARUP, Placemaking Europe, and several others, operates as an active collaboration with local governments, private companies, academia, and civil society organizations at the intersection of urban regeneration, green public spaces, and neighborhood-scale design. Its premise addresses how European cities are built and maintained and how they experience a changing climate, arguing that cities must fundamentally change to remain livable under accelerating climate pressures.

From London to Houston: Four Ongoing Pedestrianisation Initiatives Shaping More Walkable Cities

Antonia Piñeiro — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Across Europe and North America, pedestrianisation is increasingly being deployed as a context-specific urban strategy shaped by distinct economic, social, and spatial pressures. As cities continue to reassess the role of streets in the wake of economic shifts, climate pressures, and changing mobility patterns, pedestrianisation is emerging as a tool in current urban transformation efforts. Across London, New York, Houston, and Stockholm, ongoing pedestrian-first projects are testing different pathways toward more resilient and walkable cities, ranging from statutory planning and capital construction to research-driven visioning. London's Oxford Street is advancing through consultation and governance reform to address retail decline; New York's Paseo Park is moving from a temporary pandemic intervention into permanent infrastructure; Houston is accelerating the pedestrianisation of its downtown core in preparation for a global sporting event; and Stockholm's Superline is using design research to rethink the future of an inner-city motorway. These initiatives reveal how pedestrianisation is being actively negotiated, designed, and built today, adapting to local motivations while converging on a shared objective of streets that perform as resilient public spaces rather than traffic conduits.

The Line at a Crossroads: Revisiting NEOM's Vision for a Utopian City

Olivia Poston — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:30:00 +0000

In 2023, ArchDaily's editor-in-chief sat down with Tarek Qaddumi, Executive Director of the Line Design at NEOM, at the closing of the Line Exhibition in Riyadh. Qaddumi described a layered, three-dimensional city organized around the idea of a "five-minute sphere" of access: walkable communities stacked vertically, connected by high-speed rail, freed from cars and conventional street infrastructure, and designed to coexist symbiotically with the surrounding natural landscape. It was a compelling vision, and in the context of the moment, it was simultaneously credible and appealing. For architects and urban thinkers grappling with the failures of twentieth-century city-building, the ideas articulated were worth engaging and planning.

Snøhetta, BIG, and MVRDV Collaborate on New Coastal Neighborhood in Istanbul, Türkiye

Reyyan Dogan — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:30:00 +0000

Located in Istanbul, Türkiye, an 84-hectare neighborhood is currently under development in the Riva area of Beykoz along the city's Black Sea coast. The master plan has been developed by an international design team including Snøhetta, Bjarke Ingels Group, and MVRDV, alongside local practices KEYM, DB Architects, Rasa, and Bilgin Architects. Known as Ion Riva, the project is conceived as a landscape-led residential community that integrates housing, cultural facilities, and public programs within an ecological framework shaped by the meeting of forest, river, and sea. The first phase of the development, which has received planning permission and is currently under construction, will deliver 969 homes designed for approximately 3,000 residents, with the first completed residences expected to be occupied in 2027.

UNS Designs a 10-Minute Walkable City Master Plan for Multigenerational Living in Seoul, South Korea

Antonia Piñeiro — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:30:00 +0000

UNS has revealed images of SeoulOne, a master plan designed for Hyundai Development Company (HDC) in Seoul, South Korea, intended as a new model for multigenerational living. The project, already under construction on a brownfield site in the northeast of the city, reimagines an existing industrial site and railway area as a 405,000 m² car-free neighborhood for a multigenerational community. A never-sleeping, green master plan for Seoul, SeoulOne is envisioned as a mixed-use mini-city where all essential services for people of all ages are available within a 10-minute walk. The design includes 24/7 residential towers, retail spaces, offices, a hotel, sports facilities, daycare centers, senior living facilities, and a medical center, offering permanent services within walking distance. More than 30% of the site is dedicated to vegetation, including pocket parks, roof gardens, water gardens, and a forest walk, creating a year-round green village.

Courtyardism: A Vision for a More Balanced Urban Future in the Greater Bay Area by Wang Weijen Architecture

Jonathan Yeung — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Situated in one of the fastest-developing regions over the past decade—the southern part of China, including Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area—urban growth has been driven by an overwhelming wave of commercial ambition. Projects here are often designed for maximum density, height, and efficiency, resulting in developments of enormous scale that can easily span several acres. Prioritizing transit-oriented development, these complexes frequently take the form of sprawling malls built directly above major transportation hubs. Designed to disorient and prolong foot traffic to encourage economic activities, these mega-structures have become commonplace in cities like Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

BIG Presents Masterplan to Turn the Jebel Ali Racecourse in Dubai into a Green Walkable District

Antonia Piñeiro — Tue, 13 May 2025 05:30:00 +0000

BIG–Bjarke Ingels Group was commissioned by A.R.M. Holding to design the transformation of Dubai's Jebel Ali Racecourse into a new urban district measuring 5 square kilometers. The design aligns with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which focuses on enhancing pedestrian mobility as a pillar for promoting sustainable urban development. The master plan is anchored by a central park, reconnecting the racecourse site to the city.

Investing in Wellbeing: How Healthy Workspaces Drive Productivity and Profit

Ankitha Gattupalli — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Beyond aesthetics, the design of our workplaces directly impacts our health. Studies reveal a clear link between poor light quality and limited access to natural views with increased sick leave. Smoke-free policies have been demonstrably effective, reducing smoking prevalence by 3.8% and lowering tobacco consumption by a significant 3.1 cigarettes per day for continuing smokers. Workplaces can either support wellbeing or be a detriment to it. Conscious office design can blend aspects of health in spaces to cultivate physical, mental, and social well-being.

Foster + Partners Reveals Masterplan and Shopping Hub for Iași's Palace of Culture Area in Romania

Nour Fakharany — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 05:30:00 +0000

Foster + Partners has just released the design for the redevelopment of Palas Iași, a major mixed-use development in Iași, a city in eastern Romania. The proposal includes a new masterplan centered around the historic Palace of Culture and aims to improve urban connectivity, enhance public green spaces, and upgrade the existing commercial infrastructure. Developed in collaboration with Romanian developer IULIUS, the project aims to bring together retail, cultural, and landscape elements within a unified and accessible framework.

Promenade Architecturale: How the Modernist Concept Continues to Inspire Contemporary Architecture

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:30:00 +0000

In modernist architecture, promenade architecturale emerged as a key design strategy, embodying the principles of functionality, aesthetics, and integration with the urban context. Le Corbusier’s iconic projects, such as Villa La Roche (1925) and Villa Savoye (1929), exemplify this idea by guiding visitors through an ascending journey that culminates in the rooftop garden—a space where the building and nature seamlessly interact. A century later, this concept remains influential, continuing to shape contemporary designs that explore the relationship between movement and space in various architectural typologies, including houses, museums, libraries, and parks.

How the Much-Maligned Porch Supports Walkable, Sustainable Communities

Steve Mouzon — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 03:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

Elevating Urban Connectivity: The Spirit of Pedestrian Bridges in Cities

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 04:00:00 +0000

In a city, celebrating the act of walking has become a form of non-traditional planning. In the age of cars, challenging the dominance of vehicular transportation by championing the pedestrian experience is not very common. For this reason, pedestrian bridges worldwide stand as symbols of connectivity and architectural ingenuity. These soaring structures embody the urban experience for its core user: the pedestrian. Although the structures began as practical solutions to traffic management, they have evolved into iconic landmarks and pivotal components of city planning.

Kuwait Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia Explores Consequences of Modernist Urban Planning on Historic Built Environment

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:30:00 +0000

The Kuwait Pavilion, titled 'Rethinking Rethinking Kuwait,' at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia, delves into innovative architectural and urban design methods arising from space and time. The project is an ongoing exploration addressing the consequences of modernist urban planning, which erased much of Kuwait's historic built environment.

Is Fixing City Sidewalks Feasible for Future Cities?

Kaley Overstreet — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area, there’s a good chance that using a sidewalk, in some capacity, is part of your everyday routine. Whether crossing over a sidewalk to get to your car in a parking lot or walking several blocks on your commute to your office downtown, sidewalks are critical for creating safe places for pedestrians away from the streets. But what happens when cities don’t take ownership over sidewalk maintenance, and they’re left to be protected by the people who just use them?

Pink Zoning Detroit

Rene Submissions — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 08:30:00 +0000

The City of Detroit, in partnership with the Knight Foundation, seeks ambitious, multidisciplinary planning and design teams to reimagine Detroit’s commercial corridors and explore reforms to Detroit’s land use regulations.

Inspired by the principles of Lean Urbanism, the project involves modest research, design, and analysis services, spread over a six month period.

Successful teams will receive $19,000 to cover costs and travel.

Why Ancient Cities Can Still Teach Us About Urban Planning

James A. Moore — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 09:30:00 +0000

In the 20th century, urban planning went through some big changes, creating much of our current urban environment in a mold that is now widely seen as anti-human. Fortunately, in recent decades urban planning has changed again - partly revising and partly reverting the theories espoused by the 20th century. In this article, originally published on Autodesk’s Redshift publication as "What the Future of Cities Can Learn From Ancient Cities," James A Moore looks at why old models for creating cities have proved so timeless, and the role that they will play in creating 21st century cities.

Snow Reveals Opportunities for Public Space

Karissa Rosenfield — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Traffic imprints found in Philadelphia’s record snowfall has revealed some clever opportunities for public space. As reported by This Old City, snow formations have carved examples of unused streetscape that could be easily reclaimed as pedestrian space. This would not only improve traffic safety, but would also enhance the city’s walkability and desirability. Learn more and see examples here.