Active design (2013)

This document presents a framework for thinking about sidewalks differently and serves as a resource for those who shape the built environment. This publication aims to provide theory, resources, and tools for communities working to encourage physical activity by transforming their built environments. This two-part publication aligns with the goals of the Active Design Guidelines in striving to promote health and integrate physical activity into our daily lives by using active design strategies. The first section touches on the history, health impacts, existing efforts, infrastructure and financial benefits, challenges, and synergies surrounding sidewalk design. It presents a conceptual framework of the “sidewalk room,” approaching it as a habitable space broken into four planes that surround the pedestrian, and provides a methodology for beginning to grapple with the complexities involved in shaping the sidewalk experience. The second section provides a methodology to guide those shaping the sidewalk experience and offers a spatial atlas of national initiatives and policies that can inform sidewalk design. This toolkit can be used by urban designers, architects, landscape architects, planners, policy makers, community activists, educators, and students to advocate for the pedestrian experience and ultimately influence the walkability of our communities.