VIRTUAL: Livable Cities – New York

Abstract

This paper critically examines the concept of “walkability” as an index to assess liveability in non-urban areas. Walkability is often defined as the extent to which neighbourhoods or cities are pedestrian-friendly and encourage active mobility. Over the last decade, wakability has also become a prominent measure of liveability in urban contexts. However, the relevance of walkability as a measure of liveability in non-urban areas remains largely unexplored and questionable. Equally, defining the meaning of city is context-specific. For example, in the case of Flanders (BE), the entire territory is often considered a city because of its high population density and number of inhabitants per square metre. Within the territory, however, a distinction is made between urban and non-urban areas. Based on a literature review on walkability, this paper will compare the indicators that define walkability in urban contexts and examine how they are compatible with non-urban contexts, especially in the case of Flanders (BE). In doing so, the limitations of a mainly urban-centric definition of walkability will be demonstrated. On this basis, suggestions will be made for rethinking a framework to define liveability indicators, in particular the relationship between active mobility and the environment, in non-urban areas. By considering the unique characteristics and challenges of non-urban areas, this paper aims to provide guidance for researchers, practitioners and policymakers interested in improving the livability of non-urban areas. Therefore, the paper argues for a review of the concept of walkability for non-urban environments so that policymakers and designers can consider these areas with the right lens.