How to measure public space quality? Urban form and walkability in Calgary, Canada

francisco alaniz uribe + beverly a. sandalack!

WALK21 2015 - VIENNA

WALKABILITY RESEARCH

Objectives Determine the qualities of neighbourhood form that either support or hinder walking

Measure and map these qualities considering all Calgary neighbourhoods

Analysis of findings and discussion of the relationship between walkshed qualities and neighbourhood design

RESEARCH TEAM

Ur Lburban lab

00 10

Francisco Alaniz Uribe! Faculty of Environmental Design

Dr. Alan Shiell Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Tish Doyle-Baker Faculty of Kinesiology

project: Economic Evaluation of Urban Form to Increase Activity - EcoEUFORIA

researchers:

Azadeh Eshghzadeh Zanjani Fraser Blyth

researcher assistants:

Dr. Beverly A. Sandalack! Faculty of Environmental Design

Dr. Gavin McCormack Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Christine Friedenreich Faculty of Medicine

Braden Abrams Reid Matt Knapik

CALGARY

0300 300 600 900km km

CANADA

YELLOWKNIFE

IQALUIT

EDMONTON

VICTORIA

REGINA

WINNIPEG

TORONTO

OTTAWA

QUÉBEC

CHARLOTTETOWN

FREDERICTON

HALIFAX

ST JOHN’S

WHITEHORSE

$$$

POPULATED PLACESFederal capital

Provincial or Territorial capital

BOUNDARIESInternational

Provincial and TerritorialDividing line (Canada / Kalaallit Nunaat)

200-mile limit (Exclusive Economic Zone)

LIEUX HABITÉSCapitale nationaleCapitale provinciale ou territoriale

FRONTIÈRES ET LIMITESFrontière internationaleLimite provinciale et territorialeLigne de séparation (Canada / Kalaallit Nunaat)Limite de 200 milles (Zone Économique Exclusive)

© 2001. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. Sa Majesté la Reine du chef du Canada, Ressources naturelles Canada.

CALGARY

CALGARY

ERAS OF DEVELOPMENT

Calgary has grown radially

NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPES

grid

NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPES

warped grid

NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPES

curvilinear

NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPES

grid

warped grid

curvilinear

anomalies

a physical activity survey was administered to over 2200 subjects

for each subject a walkshed was mapped using the line-buffer network method

NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPES +WALKSHED SIZE

for each subject a walkshed was mapped using the line-buffer network method

NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPES +WALKSHED SIZE

airline buffer airline buffer

network buffer line-buffer network

NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPES +WALKSHED SIZE

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Z6*(3N)#58 CC CDOE CDOC GDFB HDFA

GRID WARPED GRID CURVILINEAR

WA

LKS

HE

D S

IZE

(SQ

KM

)

CURVILINEAR0

1

2

3

4

5

6

WARPED GRID0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

GRID0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

GARRISON WOODS MCKENZIE TOWNE0

1

2

3

4

5

6

LINCOLN PARK0

1

2

3

4

5

6

UPPER MOUNT ROYAL0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

WALKSHED SIZE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPE Sandalack, Alaniz, McCormack et al, Journal of Urbanism 2013

RUBRIC FOR QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

through the literature and precedent studies the main elements of the public space that impact the quality of the walkshed were identified:

- sidewalks - paths - street trees - open spaces - pedestrian amenities - lighting - safety & security - wayfinding - built environment - street vitality

RUBRIC FOR QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Sidewalks

quality

distribution

Pathways

quality

connectivity

Lighting

quality

Street Trees

distribution

quality

Safety

traffic safetysecurity

Amenities

presence

Open Space

access

quality

aesthetic

Built Form

res. frontages

com. frontage

character

maintenance

street definitionfabric build-out

Way-findingorientation

identificationbarriers

Vitality

vitality

Sidewalks

quality

distribution

Pathways

quality

connectivity

Lighting

quality

Street Trees

distribution

quality

Safety

traffic safetysecurity

Amenities

presence

Open Space

access

quality

aesthetic

Built Form

res. frontages

com. frontage

character

maintenance

street definitionfabric build-out

Way-findingorientation

identificationbarriers

Vitality

vitality

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

EcoEUFORIA

Qualitative Assessment

EcoEUFORIA

Qualitative Assessment

Location Code

Location Code

R.A. Initials

R.A. Initials

or not?

walkable?

5

1

Best

Worst

FIELD SURVEYfield surveys of the built environment of all 233 Calgary neighbourhoods (involved a team of four graduate research assistants), who visited each neighbourhood on bicycle or on foot, and who documented each neighbourhood by various methods of recording

Amenity Presence

0 2 4 6 81Kilometers

by neighbourhood area

AMENITIES0

1

2

3

4

5

PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES PRESENCE

pedestrian amenities such as water fountains, public toilets, public telephones, garbage bins, ATMs, street vendors and street entertainers are found throughout the area.

many of these pedestrian amenities are found

some of these amenities can be found

there are very few of these amenities

none of these amenities are found

no data

TREE QUALITY

Street Tree Quality

0 2 4 6 81Kilometers

by neighbourhood area

Tree Quality0

1

2

3

4

5

street trees are consistently large and healthy

street trees are generally large and healthy

street trees are sometimes large and healthy

street trees are generally smaller and less healthy

street trees are very small and/or very unhealthy

no data

WALKSHED QUALITY INDEX

a walkshed quality index was developed by factoring all the elements of the rubric into one number

CRA

TUS

SIL

EDG

PAN

RIV

LKB

EVE

BOW

CIT

HUNSCE

SDC

DIS

ACA

VAL

SYVH

WIL

SAD

COV

ASP

DOU

CHA

DAL

DOV

WBN

ROY

ARB

CPF

BRI

PIN

MID

EVN

TAR

BRE

DRN NEB

MOR

ING

HAW

HAY

WHI

WIN

MPL

HIL

HIDS

MON

ALB

TEM

MRL

ROC

PKL

RUN

KIL

FAL

HAR

WLD

SIGNSPHE

EVN

OAK

MPK

CGR

RAN

WOO

MCKS

UOC

SOW

ALT

WHL

RIC

SOM

LKP

PEN

PATMAL

OGDL

GLA

CED

ERI

BRA

GBK

MCTS

VARV

SYVK

EPK

VARA

CANN

SYVS

BRDS

FAI

LKV

ABB

SPHW

SAN

KIN

MOP

APP

SOV

COL

SHNW

QLD

VARE

CHW

SIGS

BNF

THOE COR

MCTP

VIS

MCKN

GDL

TUX

CBD

HAMS

CAP

STRE

DRG

MAC

DGN

STA

HPK

CAS

UNI

SHS

HAMN

MALSPR

ALT

PAL

MRTN

WND

UMR

HOU

NGM

GRE

OGDS

RENCWSPNPKD

WGT

SSD

RCK

CFC

HIW

FLNN

WSPW

MLRE

HIDN

BEDW

MRTS

PUM

KEL

COUN

CAM

SOC

RAMFLNS

NHV

CHR

BYV

EYA

RDL

SHGN

STRW

BEDC

BNK

CON

LKVV

CRM

FHTE

MEA

BEDE

WSPS

CHV

RED

CHK

CANS

BRDN

BEL

SCASHGS

SNAN

SHNE

THOW

SIGP

CREE

RUT

WAR

MIS

DIA

PKH

ERL

COUS

ARBC

SPHH

BDO

GRV

DNE

COAW

FHTW

BRT

EAG

CLI

RENEPOI

EAU

RMT

CREW RENW

DOVR

LMR

DNW

MLRW

VICE

RID

MAF

NHU

ROX

WINT

VICW

COAE

MANS

CHN

SSW

CHVL

SNASSNAC

8TH

MANN

INGM

0 3 6 9 121.5Kilometers

Average Score0.0

0.1 - 2.3

2.4 - 2.8

2.9 - 3.1

3.2

3.3 - 3.4

3.5 - 3.6

3.7 - 3.8

3.9 - 4.0

4.1 - 4.4

Qualitative Assessment of Walkabilityin Calgary Neighbourhoods

WALKSHED QUALITY + NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPE

we found there was a relationship between the neighbourhood type and the quality of the walkshed

curvilinear neighbourhoods

warped grid neighbourhoods

WALKSHED QUALITY + NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPE

grid neighbourhoods

WALKSHED QUALITY + NEIGHBOURHOOD TYPE

NEIGHBOURHOOD COMPARISON

CRA

TUS

SIL

EDG

PAN

RIV

LKB

EVE

BOW

CIT

HUNSCE

SDC

DIS

ACA

VAL

SYVH

WIL

SAD

COV

ASP

DOU

CHA

DAL

DOV

WBN

ROY

ARB

CPF

BRI

PIN

MID

EVN

TAR

BRE

DRN NEB

MOR

ING

HAW

HAY

WHI

WIN

MPL

HIL

HIDS

MON

ALB

TEM

MRL

ROC

PKL

RUN

KIL

FAL

HAR

WLD

SIGNSPHE

EVN

OAK

MPK

CGR

RAN

WOO

MCKS

UOC

SOW

ALT

WHL

RIC

SOM

LKP

PEN

PATMAL

OGDL

GLA

CED

ERI

BRA

GBK

MCTS

VARV

SYVK

EPK

VARA

CANN

SYVS

BRDS

FAI

LKV

ABB

SPHW

SAN

KIN

MOP

APP

SOV

COL

SHNW

QLD

VARE

CHW

SIGS

BNF

THOE COR

MCTP

VIS

MCKN

GDL

TUX

CBD

HAMS

CAP

STRE

DRG

MAC

DGN

STA

HPK

CAS

UNI

SHS

HAMN

MALSPR

ALT

PAL

MRTN

WND

UMR

HOU

NGM

GRE

OGDS

RENCWSPNPKD

WGT

SSD

RCK

CFC

HIW

FLNN

WSPW

MLRE

HIDN

BEDW

MRTS

PUM

KEL

COUN

CAM

SOC

RAMFLNS

NHV

CHR

BYV

EYA

RDL

SHGN

STRW

BEDC

BNK

CON

LKVV

CRM

FHTE

MEA

BEDE

WSPS

CHV

RED

CHK

CANS

BRDN

BEL

SCASHGS

SNAN

SHNE

THOW

SIGP

CREE

RUT

WAR

MIS

DIA

PKH

ERL

COUS

ARBC

SPHH

BDO

GRV

DNE

COAW

FHTW

BRT

EAG

CLI

RENEPOI

EAU

RMT

CREW RENW

DOVR

LMR

DNW

MLRW

VICE

RID

MAF

NHU

ROX

WINT

VICW

COAE

MANS

CHN

SSW

CHVL

SNASSNAC

8TH

MANN

INGM

0 3 6 9 121.5Kilometers

Average Score0.0

0.1 - 2.3

2.4 - 2.8

2.9 - 3.1

3.2

3.3 - 3.4

3.5 - 3.6

3.7 - 3.8

3.9 - 4.0

4.1 - 4.4

Qualitative Assessment of Walkabilityin Calgary Neighbourhoods

neighbourhood types walkshed size walkshed quality

Reconvergence of Public Health and Urban Design

The form of our cities and neighbourhoods directly and profoundly affects our quality of life and our way of life

…….it is not irrelevant - Morphology is Destiny

CONCLUSIONS

CONCLUSIONSthe research methods allowed us to measure both walkshed size and walkshed quality with great accuracy (all methods were tested and verified)

walkability and the quality of the public realm correspond to the development patterns and practices in place at the times, and both have declined with more recent neighbourhood design practices and standards

pre-1960s post-1960s

CONCLUSIONSretrofitting is highly costly and unfeasible, therefore it is important to design it right from the beginning

or not?

grid $21,284,831.43 $540,552.73

warped grid $24,439,610.77 $1,456,538.82

curvilinear $39,124,930.61 $3,243,316.41

$3,349,911.85 $794,374.59 $25,969,670.6

$40,707,429.96 $0 $66,603,579.55

$67,303,272.15 $0 $114,543,592.12

walkability res-comm. zoning block pattern open space TOTAL

Average Economic Cost of Improving Urban Form calculations for 14 neighbourhoods of 3 types

CONCLUSIONS

grid $21,284,831.43 $540,552.73

warped grid $24,439,610.77 $1,456,538.82

curvilinear $39,124,930.61 $3,243,316.41

$3,349,911.85 $794,374.59 $25,969,670.6

$40,707,429.96 $0 $66,603,579.55

$67,303,272.15 $0 $114,543,592.12

walkability res-comm. zoning block pattern open space TOTAL

Average Economic Cost of Improving Urban Form calculations for 14 neighbourhoods of 3 types

CONCLUSIONS

grid $21,284,831.43 $540,552.73

warped grid $24,439,610.77 $1,456,538.82

curvilinear $39,124,930.61 $3,243,316.41

$3,349,911.85 $794,374.59 $25,969,670.6

$40,707,429.96 $0 $66,603,579.55

$67,303,272.15 $0 $114,543,592.12

walkability res-comm. zoning block pattern open space TOTAL

Average Economic Cost of Improving Urban Form calculations for 14 neighbourhoods of 3 types

CONCLUSIONS

grid $21,284,831.43 $540,552.73

warped grid $24,439,610.77 $1,456,538.82

curvilinear $39,124,930.61 $3,243,316.41

$3,349,911.85 $794,374.59 $25,969,670.6

$40,707,429.96 $0 $66,603,579.55

$67,303,272.15 $0 $114,543,592.12

walkability res-comm. zoning block pattern open space TOTAL

Average Economic Cost of Improving Urban Form calculations for 14 neighbourhoods of 3 types

CONCLUSIONS

$21,284,831.43 $540,552.73

$24,439,610.77 $1,456,538.82

$39,124,930.61 $3,243,316.41

$3,349,911.85 $794,374.59

$40,707,429.96 $0

$67,303,272.15 $0

walkability res-comm. zoning block pattern open space

It Costs a Lot to Fix!!!so get it right the first time $1,456,538.82so get it right the first time $1,456,538.82 $40,707,429.96so get it right the first time

$40,707,429.96

CONCLUSIONSwalkshed quality may be even more important than the size of the walkshed available to a pedestrian - if the walking experience is pleasant, safe and interesting, it is more likely that one will walk for recreation and for errands

retrofitting is highly costly and unfeasible, therefore it is important to design it right from the beginning

this research provides a basis for recommendations for changes in city planning and design practices, and it also informs our graduate programs in architecture, landscape architecture and planning

DANKE SEHR / THANK YOU

Ur Lburban lab

00 10

Francisco Alaniz Uribe  B.Sc.Arch / MPDU /  MEDes-Urban Design / RPP MCIP Assistant Professor Co-Director The Urban Lab Faculty of Environmental Design University of Calgary

falanizu@ucalgary.ca

Beverly A. Sandalack  PhD FCSLA MCIP RPP Associate Dean (Academic) Landscape + Planning and Professor Director The Urban Lab Faculty of Environmental Design University of Calgary

sandalack@ucalgary.ca

www.ucalgary.ca/urbanlab

some of this research has been published in the Journal of Urbanism, Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Public Health and Health and Place