Walkability is finding renewed favor across planning and policy as a means of creating sustainable and livable cities with active mobilities at the core. Multimodal mobility hubs (MMH) are considered a key strategic tool to fulfill the purpose of developing integrated low-carbon transport systems that include public, non-motorized, and intermodal transport to reduce congestion and pollution, and improve efficiency, connectivity, accessibility for all, health, livability and quality of life. Walking is promoted as a distinct potential in the multimodal mix, especially for first and last mile connections. Taking an Urban Design approach, designing for walkability, however, is not limited to solving connectivity, transportation and accessibility aspects in nodal places and mobility networks, but must integrate consideration for human experience and site-specificity. Further, MMHs should accommodate not only a variety of transport-modes, but also a variety of user groups with distinctions in needs and constraints, that include both practical and non-instrumental dimensions. This calls for inclusive and place-based approaches concerned with providing open, attractive places for mobility, urban and social activities. This paper reviews selected case studies and literature on design for walkability to develop knowledge of the integrated aspects influencing walkability in MMH. It suggests a synthetization in a conceptual matrix of design parameters. The purpose is to contribute to the development of a methodology to assess design of MMH, with the wider perspective to improve probability of future success of MMH developments and contribute to innovation in policy, planning and design that will promote and strengthen pathways to sustainable urban mobility.
Andrea Hernandez Bueno is Assistant Professor in Urban Design at the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark. She is trained as an architect (Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela) and urban designer (Aalborg University, Denmark). She counts with practical experience within the areas of urban mobility and public space. Her research focusses on situational passenger experiences, human-centric urban design, active mobility and the usage of tracking technologies within the urban design and mobilities fields.
Tina Vestermann Olsen is Assistant professor in Urban Design at he Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology of Aalborg University, Denmark. She is specialized within areas of transformation, place making, user involvement and temporary experimentation. She works with theories and methods for developing urban areas via value driven involvement processes, that contribute to social sustainability. In a short period of time she has procured funding for two research projects with strong academic networks. She has 8 years of practice experience working as consultant and project leader at landscape and urban studios. Here she has managed several design and innovation projects.
Ditte Bendix Lanng is Associate Professor in Urban Design with a focus on mobilities design and democratic agencies at the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology of Aalborg University, Denmark. She is an urban designer by training and holds a PhD in urban mobilities design.