UNDERSTANDING WALKABILITY: Dealing with the complexity behind pedestrian behavior

The issue of pedestrian-friendly urban environments has been of increasing importance lately in urban planning and design. In order to develop a better knowledge about the walkability of the built environment, it is important to understand the complexity behind walking behavior. Since different kinds of walking activities vary in their goal, effort, frequency, duration, etc., they also vary in how strongly and in what aspect they are influenced by the condition of urban form and also in the qualities in the built environment that the pedestrian prioritize during the walking activity. With an empirical study in three residential areas in Stockholm, Sweden, this study investigated the different types and aspects of walking activities in how they are influenced by and interact with the built environment. The results of the observation study of walking behavior showed that the condition of the built environment related to the density, connectivity, and land-use diversity seem to influence the amount and diversity of walking activities that occur in the given environment and also affect how the walking activities are conducted. This is related to the degree of the potential of the urban form in providing the different qualities that the pedestrians may desire from the environment in their walking activities, which is not only related to providing walking destinations and possible routes, but also qualities that may enhance the experiential quality of walking. Investigating the different aspects of walking in how they occur and are conducted in the urban environment is important in understanding why and how different conditions of the urban form may discourage or encourage walking. This may not only be useful in providing insights for more accurate knowledge on walkability, but may also assist a better understanding and application of other urban design theories on pedestrian movement as well.