Designing for Pedestrians The Context, the Design Goals, and the Detail Tiago Oliveira, 13 th November 2013
Design for Pedestrians should focus on: The Context The Design Goals The Detail Heritage/ cultural background Strengths to build upon Physical / weather constraints Political and perception constraints What issues are we trying to address? People Safety Inclusiveness Economy Journey Times Modal integration Permeability Attractiveness Quality of materials Design for the mobility and visually impaired Accommodation of all modes and functions 2
The Context: What are the issues we are trying to address? Are the issues clearly identified? What are the physical constraints? What is the modal balance? What is the historical / heritage context? Is there political support for the scheme? 3
The Design Goals: What are key Design objectives? Car parking provision Inclusiveness Reduction of conflicts Economic regeneration Enhancement of tourist attraction Safety improvements 4
The Detail Pedestrian Desire Lines Road (over)design Street Clutter and Landscaping 5
The Detail: Pedestrian Desire Lines This is what happens when we fail to address them adequately during the Design process 6
The Detail: Pedestrian Desire Lines But this also happens 7
The Detail: Pedestrian Desire Lines Some ideas 8
The Detail: The Example of Grand Canal Square World Class Public Space International Design Competition, leading to appointment of a renowned Architectural Design Team Pedestrian movements appear to have been a key design criteria. A series of local desire lines are reflected in the landscaping design 9
The Detail: The Example of Grand Canal Square World Class Public Space International Design Competition, leading to appointment of a renowned Architectural Design Team Pedestrian movements appear to have been a key design criteria. A series of local desire lines are reflected in the landscaping design but only inside the red line. The connectivity with the external pedestrian facilities was not considered in the detail. 10
The Detail: The Example of Grand Canal Square At the Hannover Quay/ Forbes St/ Misery Hill junction, the desire line (so well accommodated through the design) actually ends at the middle of the junction. 11
The Detail: Clutter Sometimes the main obstacle to pedestrian movements is not the car, but all the paraphernalia we need to ensure cars do what we want them to do and ensure that pedestrians are safe. 12
The Detail: Clutter and this happens again! 13
The Detail: Clutter But it doesn t have to be that way. Streets can be sympathetic to pedestrians as well as for cars 14
The Detail: Clutter Landscaping Sometimes, landscaping becomes an added constraint to the design for pedestrians. 15
The Detail: The Example of Grangegorman Lower The main pedestrian gateway to the new DIT. 16
The Detail: The Example of Grangegorman Lower Less than 12m available between listed walls; Over 4,000 pedestrians during the morning peak; Need for two-way vehicular circulation and loading lay-by. Different options considered and tested for Level of Service 17
The Detail: The Example of Grangegorman Lower Options were also tested using MassMotion pedestrian modelling 18
The Detail: The Example of Grangegorman Lower The detail of the tree beds can provide or take away that crucial metre that will be the difference between achieving or not the desired Pedestrian Level of Service. 19
The Detail: Over-design of Road Infrastructure Multiple Flush Syndrome (The tendency to design drainage infrastructure for the eventuality that everyone flushes at the same point in time) In Transport terms, it is the design of road infrastructure for the eventuality that two articulated trucks meet at a junction when a bin lorry is turning left and an ambulance is turning right or something like that. 20
The Detail: Over-design of Road Infrastructure It leads to this: A 64-house cul-de-sac being accesses via a 26m-wide junction (with a relatively quiet road) 21
The Detail: Over-design of Road Infrastructure or this: An important city street where up to 75% of the space is given to vehicular circulation 22
Thank you Tiago Oliveira ARUP