Name: Walkable City 5: The Comfortable Walk
Rating: 4.59 (140 reviews)
Author: Jeff Speck

Course Info

8 video lessons (66 Mins)
Published
2025
Trending

Preview Course

Browse Course Chapters

1.

Introduction

3 mins
2.

Spatial Definition

4 mins
3.

Figural Space

10 mins
4.

Closed Vistas

3 mins
5.

Form-Based Codes

18 mins
6.

Shadows

4 mins
7.

Trees

12 mins
8.

Urban Design

9 mins

What You Will Learn

- Learn how spatial definition and the creation of “outdoor living rooms” is key to pedestrian comfort. 

- Learn about form-based codes as the superior alternative to use-based zoning.  

- Learn about the rural-to-urban transect. 

- Learn about the need for more, typically not less, shadow. 

- Learn about the benefits of urban trees and the best arguments for investing in them.  

- Learn from examples of good vs. bad urban design.

Course Description

If people with a choice are going to make the choice to walk, that walk needs to be comfortable. That category of consideration includes spatial definition, orientation, legibility, and thermal comfort. The ideal pedestrian environment feels like an outdoor living room, with good edges (streetwalls), a sense of direction, consistent character, shade, and tree cover. While form-based codes and urban forestry plans are effective modern tools for achieving these outcomes, ultimately, there is no substitute for proper urban design.

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