planning and designing walkable city for health

Research Background & Significance

•Surgingtrendofplanninganddesignofhealthycities;Walkingpromotedasatoolforimprovingphysicalhealth;Therecouldbemorehealthbenefitsthanjustthephysicalones

•HongKong,asanultra-densecity,isstartingslowinplanninganddesigningwalkablecityforhealth;TransportDepartmenthascommenced"WalkinHongKong"initiativetoimprovewalkabilityinHongKong;CentralandShamShuiPoaspilotareas

•Thisstudyfillsthegapsofthelackofwalkabilityandwell-beingresearchinHongKong;drawssolutionsforplanninganddesigningwalkablecity

Thereotical Framework

Methodology

GIS Walkability Index

Residential Density

Land Use MixNet Retail Floor

Area RatioIntersection

Density

On-streetWalkability Audit

Counting-based

&Observation-

based

QuestionnaireSurvey

n=201

Perceived Walkabilty

Walking BehaviorSense

In-dept Interview

2 setsof

Interviews

Major FindingsGIS Walkability Index

•HigherresidentialdensityandlandusemixinSaiYingPun,SheungWan&CheungShaWanandShamShuiPo

•HigherNRFAinSaiYingPun,SheungWan,Central&CheungShaWanandShamShuiPo

• Evendistributionofintersectiondensity

On-Street Walkability Aduit•HighestwalkabilityfoundinstreetsunderneathCentral-Mid-LevelsEscalatorandWalkwaySystematCentral&LaiKokEstateinCheungShaWan

• LowestwalkabilityfoundinstreetatMid-levels&industrialareasatCheungShaWan

•Vehicle-freeasmainfeatureofmostwalkablestreets

Questionnaire Survey• Presenceofurbandesignqualities(presenceofsidewalk,pedestraininfrastructure,greenspace)affectsemotionalwell-being

•Accessiblewalkingenvironmentencourageswalkforrecreation("walktogreenspace"),thussocialwell-being

•Dailywalkingroutine(distancetotransit,diversityofpaths)affectpsychologicalwell-being

Planning Indicators

Psychological well-being• Self-acceptance• Personal growth• Positive relation with others• Purpose in life• Autonomy• Environmental Mastery

Emotional well-being• Positive affect• Happiness• Life satisfaction

Sense of Well-being Walkability

Spectrum of walkability

• Residential Density

• Land use

• Connectivity

• Pedestrian facilities

• Green space

• Community

• Experience

• SafetyWalking Behavior

Working time & location

Demographic FactorsAffects

perception Affects

Affects

Walk for recreation

Walk for transportation

Encourages

Affects

Social well-being• Social acceptance• Social actualization• Social coherence• Social integration• Social contribution

Presence of urban design qualities

stimulates

Accessibility to green and community space

through walking

Affects

Affects

• Rethinking the Spectrum

of Streets

• Inclusion of Pedestrians in

CDA

• A Multi-level Approach to

Walkability Planning and

Design

• Connection to Quality

Open Space

• Tactical Urbanism for

Community Initiated

Walkability Improvement

Planning and Designing Walkable City for Health in

Hong Kong

Urban Design

Qualities

Perceived Walking

Environment

Involvement of local knowledge for walkability improvement

Planning and Designing Walkable City for Health: Understanding Relationship Between Walkability

and Sense of Well-being in Hong Kong

by FOO Chun Kau, Gordon

Surpervised by Prof. NG Mee Kam

Research Objectives

•Toestablishatheoreticalframeworkexaminingtherelationshipbetweenwalkabilityandsenseofwell-beinginthecontextofHongKongwithcasestudies

•Tohavemulti-measurementoftheoverallwalkability(bothobjectiveandperceived)andconductacomparisonamongthem,andmeasureinidivual'ssenseofwell-beinginCentralandShamShuiPo

•Toconductmulti-levelanalysis,includingstatistical,interpretational,andcontextualanalysistoexaminerelationshipsbetweenwalkabilityandsenseofwell-being

•Toevaluatethecurrentwalkabilityplanningstrategies,identifyopportunitiesandchallenges,andgenerateevidence-basedrecommendations

Tactical Urbanism for Community Initiated Walkability

Improvement

•Abottom-upapproach

• ThecommunityandNGOstohostatacticalurbanismwalkabilityimprovement

• PhysicalandvisualConnectiontoopenSpace

•Biophilicandactivedesignforopenspace

•Waterfeaturesandbirdsoundscapeforemotionalwell-being

• Pleasantandsociablewalkingenvironmentforsocialwell-being

•Consideringmulti-levelwalkablityplanninganddesign(elevatedandat-gradelevel)forbetterconnectionandshorterperceiveddistanceamongdestinations

•Walkableandaccessibleenvironmentforpsychologicalwell-being

• Settingupguidelines,standards,orevenregulationforpedestrainplanningtoutilizetheregionalandciriticalroleofComprehensiveDevelopmentArea

• Enhancespsychologicalwell-being

• ReviewandreclassificationoftypesofstreetsinHongKong

•Moreefficiencyinstudyingorplanningwalkablestreets

Connection to QualityOpen Space

A Multi-level Approach to Walkability Planning and Design

Inclusion of Pedestrains in CDA

Rethinking the Spectrum of Streets

Planning and Designing Walkable City for Health in Hong Kong