Traditional Neighborhoods vs. Suburbs Residents in high walkable traditional neighborhoods report on average 2 more walking trips/week than those in low.

“Traditional” Neighborhoods vs. Suburbs

•Residents in high walkable traditional neighborhoods report on average 2 more walking trips/week than those in low walkable suburban neighborhoods

•A 150 pound person in a walkable commuity could lose 0.85 to 1.75 pounds in one year, which approximates the average weight gain in the US

Perceptual Qualities of Place: “Delightful Density” Human ScaleHuman Scale LinkageLinkage Definition/Visual EnclosureDefinition/Visual Enclosure Complexity/IntricacyComplexity/Intricacy Coherence/OrderCoherence/Order TransparencyTransparency Sense of Place/IdentitySense of Place/Identity Perceived SafetyPerceived Safety

“Lowly, unpurposeful and mundane as they appear, sidewalk contacts are the small change from which a city’s wealth of public life may grow.” Jane Jacobs, The Death & Life of Great American Cities

“There is much more to walking than walking.” Jan Gehl, New City Spaces

Improving Social Connectedness and Quality of Life

School Siting:Considering the Health Impacts Walkable schools are an Walkable schools are an

important outlet for daily important outlet for daily physical activityphysical activity

Schools as anchors of Schools as anchors of communitiescommunities

Health has not been a Health has not been a major factor in school major factor in school location decisions/policieslocation decisions/policies

Activity-Friendly Buildings: Which aspects of design matter? Destination points (food service, copy and Destination points (food service, copy and

conference rooms) -- how far will we walk?conference rooms) -- how far will we walk? Building layout and way finding -- what Building layout and way finding -- what

features create movement and interaction? features create movement and interaction? Fitness centers and corporate culture Fitness centers and corporate culture

(walking/standing meetings, management (walking/standing meetings, management acceptance of movement) acceptance of movement)

Karen Lalli, 2001

“Living Buildings”

““Best practices” in site Best practices” in site selection, site design and selection, site design and building design for public building design for public facilitiesfacilities

Identify/study model sites Identify/study model sites (before-after studies) (before-after studies)

Develop a business case Develop a business case for activity-friendly for activity-friendly design elements, such as design elements, such as using stairs for exercise using stairs for exercise

Adidas Village, Portland, Oregon

Interior Building Design Also Matters

Spending even 2 more Spending even 2 more minutes a day going minutes a day going upstairs could burn an upstairs could burn an extra 5800 calories/year or extra 5800 calories/year or 1.6 lbs. 1.6 lbs.