Design of urban space at pedestrian scale: A method for parameterization of urban qualities

Abstract

This paper focuses on a method for parameterization of urban space at the pedestrian scale. There is a growing demand for new design approaches that would help to slow down urban sprawls, move away from modernist urban planning models and improve the quality of urban centers overall [15]. One important aspect that contributes to the overall sustainability of contemporary cities is the quality of pedestrian space. To enhance urban environment at pedestrian scale new design strategies must be investigated. Contemporary urban centers must provide various options for public transport, contain fine-grained urban functions, mixed-use building types and good-quality public open spaces to facilitate their use by pedestrians. The aim of this paper is (a) to identify the initial set of design parameters of urban form at the pedestrian scale and (b) to demonstrate the exemplary implementation of these parameters within parametric software, e.g. Grasshopper for Rhinoceros [26] and Esri CityEngine [25] for analysis, optimization and evaluation of urban settings.