Inclusive Aspects of Urban Design: Sociability, Walkability and Overall Ambiance

Abstract

Urban design is a multifaceted process that interfaces various aspects, extending from community physical activity and health improvement to social and environmental fields. An efficient urban design requires understanding of ideas, paradigms, and research from many dimensions of knowledge, i.e. anthropology, sociology, engineering, architecture, and urban planning. The debate in this paper is based on the fact that the sociability of a society is dependent on its urban design prototype. A systemic urban design increases the opportunity for walkability, sequentially enhancing the probability of real-time social interaction. Such an urban ambiance plays a significant role in human physical and mental well-being and their behaviors. The aspects of urban space, such as sociability, walkability and overall ambiance, are appraised according to the published literature. This paper aims at collecting the already proven specifics in one piece of writing to open up avenues for further research and establish the inclusive aspects of urban design. The literature from the final decade of the 20th century to contemporary works has been considered for this instance. The research concludes that interdisciplinary engagement and participation of the public in decision-making for urban design are necessary. It recommends further exploration of the relationship of sociability, walkability and urban ambiance, and their correlation with human well-being.