Walkability and residential suburbs: a multidisciplinary perspective

Abstract

This study develops a nuanced understanding of issues related to suburban design and walkability, which have received increased attention over the last two decades. It examines a broad range of environmental health, transportation and design/planning studies. The study argues that published empirical research relied on statistical tools that measured the design ingredients rather than the morphological and spatial structures that enhance walkability. The qualitative design aspects of built environments were hardly translated to quantifiable variables in much of the reviewed empirical research. This paper highlights configurational and space syntax dynamics that complement the current understanding of neighborhood design and walkability. It opens the door for further cross disciplinary research aimed at understanding and potentially optimizing the relationship between urban form and pedestrian movement.