Menú
The growth and development of cities have simultaneously seen a growing movement towards the design of urban spaces for people over cars. The movement described as New Urbanism applies the ideologies of creating communities that are walkable and livable: streets, parks, and public spaces should be designed with people in mind. Other than sprawling suburbs and car-dependent layouts, New Urbanism introduces a human-scale city, revitalizing it with pedestrian-friendly designs.
The essence of New Urbanism is fundamentally a response to car-oriented, sprawling development that has characterized urban planning for the last several decades. Rather than centering developments on the car, the New Urbanism movement designs neighborhoods that are easy to walk and bike around, with transportation alternatives available to residents. In this way, New Urbanism aims to create dynamic, sustainable communities that nurture relationships, decrease congestion, and provide a higher quality of life.
New Urbanism encourages mixed-use development so that residents can easily access their needs on foot or without necessarily taking long car rides.
New Urbanism puts into focus several design principles centered on the pedestrian in order to make the urban space more livable:
Walkability: Safety and invitation of pedestrians shall be ensured through street design, by applying wide sidewalks, street trees, and pedestrian crossings. Short blocks and interconnected streets provide easy navigation on foot.
Mixed-Use Development: It can be achieved by mixing up residential and commercial development, thus enabling people to walk to work, school, shops, and parks. It minimizes lengthy commutes and encourages a sense of community.
Public Spaces: There is the inclusion of well-planned public open spaces in New Urbanism designs, such as parks, plazas, and squares, to facilitate social interaction. These are easily accessible and offer places where people can gather and relax.
Less Dependence on Cars: The streets are designed to be more pedestrian- and bike-friendly, having dedicated bicycle lanes and available means of public transportation. Cars have been low priority, with narrower roads and more pedestrian-friendly crosswalks.
Humanscale Architecture: Building scales are human in proportion and do not overwhelm nor alienate. Often, facades incorporate detail and storefronts are at street level to create an even more intimate and engaging experience for pedestrians.
This creates a shift in design to be more pedestrian-friendly, which comes with numerous significant benefits for both cities and residents, including:
Better Health: New Urbanism fosters more active lifestyles by encouraging greater walking and biking. People living in walkable communities get more daily exercise; with a high percentage of regular walkers, it leads to reduced rates of obesity, heart diseases, and other health problems.
Environmental Sustainability: With fewer cars on the road, New Urbanism decreases greenhouse gas emissions and reduces pollution. Compact, walkable cities also use less land and resources than sprawling developments; thus, they are more sustainable in the long run.
Stronger Communities: Walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods succeed in instilling a sense of community in people because of the interaction of people with neighbors. Public parks and plazas can be used for social gatherings and other events, which contribute to acquainting residents with one another.
Economic Vitality: When a city is more pedestrian-friendly, the easier local businesses begin to crop up. «When it is easy to walk to shops, restaurants, and cafes, the activity nourishes the local economy.» Property values are also higher due to desirability within walkable neighborhoods.
New Urbanism Principles are currently being embraced by cities around the world. For instance, Portland, Oregon is known to have an extremely extensive example of bike lanes and a full public transportation network, with mixed-use neighborhoods. The city of Copenhagen in Denmark focused on cycling and pedestrian infrastructure development, making it one of the most walkable and bike-friendly cities in the world. Closer to home, Seaside, Florida, is often cited as one of the first New Urbanist examples that come to mind. Designed to be walkable, the town streets are narrow, centered with a town square, amidst a mixture of housing, retail, and public spaces.
In conclusion The principles of New Urbanism invite a fresh thinking toward urban development. Focusing on walkability, sustainability, and community, cities can create spaces more livable, yet better for the environment and local economies. Moving more cities toward pedestrian-friendly designs is surely bound to bring about urban centers that are indeed healthier, greener, and more connected.
