Author: Jeff Speck (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012)

It is official: I have become that pestering individual who sees the opportunity to stay away from automobile use at every turn now, and it is completely thanks to Jeff Speck and his book Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time.

I find myself sitting around a table of friends and loved ones, quoting little anecdotal points of information from Speck’s tome in what I feel is the same way he delivered said information in the book: witty, full of character and intrigue, factual and scientific, with enough speed of transition that the reader is fully immersed without feeling lost. Yes, Mr. Speck has made a walker out of me, but let me lay it all out for you, so you too will hopefully enjoy the read as much as I did.

One aspect worth noting is the accessibility of Walkable City. It is presented and bound in a standard size hardcover book, easy to carry, easy to store in a bag or purse, and the entire philosophy of the content follows suit. The overarching message of the book, to paraphrase Speck, is that walkability is not meant to completely replace the car, but instead allow us as individuals to return the car to its rightful place as an almost “last resort.”

Another great feature is that the chapters are never lengthy. Instead, Speck focuses on his specific points and relates them to real world issues, which allows the reader to fully understand the topic from a “life” perspective, rather than an academic one.

The contents are broken up in a straightforward fashion insofar that there are two main sections after a brief prologue—and Why Walkability and The Ten Steps of Walkability—which then leads to (as you guessed it!) a chapter by chapter breakdown of Speck’s ten steps.

The ten steps are broken down into four walk ‘types’ which, in a very unpretentious way, increase the reasoning power behind his obvious countless hours of work putting together the book. The first—The Useful Walk— focuses on car travel and “putting cars in their place,” while also seamlessly moving into mixing use on roads and allowing transit to function properly.

He then moves into The Safe Walk which concentrates heavily on how to protect pedestrians on roads and how to integrate bikes. While Speck touched on other aspects of safety, one thing I was interested in that was not fully addressed, was the idea of safety from crime or dangerous neighborhoods. He did reference it briefly, but I felt it could have been discussed more as it relates to walkability.  But, to be fair, it may not have fit into his steps, and he moved fluidly through the topic without it hindering the validity of the steps.

The third section focuses on The Comfortable Walk where he turns his attention designing the “shape the spaces” and considers the planting of trees and their significant impact on walkability. I found this area fascinating, as he pulled statistics in at what felt the most random of times that backed up his claims. For example, the simple idea that intersections and streets which feel unsafe (i.e. no stop lights, no lines on the road, no visibility etc.) actually reduce traffic accidents was such a seemingly no-brain conclusion. Yet, it was something I had never stopped to think about. And Speck never just gives a fact in Walkable City, he follows them up with a rapid fire slew of studies done all around the world, including some from right here in Vancouver.

The final section looks at The Interesting Walk and it rounds out the book by talking again about the design, as well as the increasingly noted fact that the integration of design teams (design teams, including all disciplines, working together from the inception of a project) yield far stronger walkable neighborhoods. He closes the section by advising readers to “pick your winners,” which in short-verse means to be mindful of the local context, considering carefully which steps are applicable to their particular city. Not all will work equally well.

We are a nomadic culture by nature, as Speck points out, and we have already moved across continents to form cities which have evolved to be un-walkable. But as we develop further, walkability may just have the power to save us from some of the other factors which we attribute to growing global concerns. The book is riddled with ways that people can change and Speck does not discriminate from the top-down, calling out everyone from the individual to the leaders of respective fields.

He cites funny scenarios, like an office that was originally located in the center of a metropolis, but moved further out to build a LEED Gold building with the idea thatthey would be more sustainable. After everything had been accounted, however (i.e. the new travel time for the employees, carbon footprint for supplies etc.) the new building was actually less efficient than the first…..yet it attained LEED Gold. This is how Speck gets his point across: a simple story that humanizes some of the pitfalls or successes we have seen in humanity, followed up by factual data which solidifies his point.

That being said, Speck rarely goes on the attack of something without having a strong example of how a situation could be reoriented to a positive outcome. There is nothing worse than someone who will argue you to no end, yet never comes up with a view of their own, and Speck is not (thankfully) one of these individuals. Speck tears you apart but gives you the proper tools to successfully fix the issue, in return.

I will leave you with a quote from the book that hit home for me:

LEED Architecture without good urban design is like cutting down the rainforest using hybrid-powered bulldozers.

I finish off to demonstrate how Speck manages to get people seeing his point of view—and speaks to the problems facing us today at a number of scales—in a way that comprehensively moves across many scales in an engaging and accessible way. Rarely does he limit his field of view to a strong bias and this ultimately makes his claims that much more influential.

I have recommended this book to everyone from my fiancé to a marketer, from my mother and a customer service guru, to friends who already walk as much as possible. I will continue to recommend this book to anyone who will listen to me banter on about it for an hour, because I feel that the information presented within can and will change the way individuals look at walking in their cities.  And for once, I learned all of this from a human perspective, without impending doom staring me in the face.

Ultimately, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time is a lighthearted, whimsical, but exhaustingly factual book which should be handed out to every household as a government incentive to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

***

Jeremy Senko is happily lost in the world of theoretical architecture and design. He is forever a student at heart, consistently reading, experiencing and learning about the world he inhabits. More specifically, he recently completed his Bachelor of Interior Design at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where he pushed the limits (and the patience) of his professors.

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In the ’80s New York mayor Ed Koch created protective bike lanes in Manhattan along 6th and 7th Avenues much to the chagrin of a very loud and influential opposition. Within weeks, the bike lanes were torn up.

Now, New York has a fairly impressive network of 285 miles of bikes lanes, all a part of a comprehensive 21st century transportation initiative.

How did New York and similar cities beat what New York magazine dubs ‘bikelash’? Here are three key points:

• Mobilize grassroot support for bike lanes
• Pressure from business leaders who recognize that bike lanes are an asset to their companies
• Frame the conversation around what is good for the city, not just what is good for cyclists

The bottom line in the bike-lane debate is that bike lanes make city streets safer, and are good for business.

Via Yes! magazine

Urban Planet is a roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. For more stories from around the planet, check out Spacing on Facebook and Twitter.

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To go along side our new issue’s theme of Modernism, Spacing is creating a line of t-shirts celebrating some of our favourite Modernist buildings.

Completed in 1965 and designed by architect John B. Parkin, this building served as the headquarters for Bata Shoes in North York for nearly 40 years. After Bata moved their operations to Switzerland, the building was demolished in 2007 to make way for an Ismaili cultural centre and park.

Our Bata HQ t-shirt will be officially released at the end of June, but util then you can take advantage of our pre-order sale and save yourself $5. The pre-order sale is limited in numbers, but if you don’t end up getting your hands on one, they will also be available at our upcoming Toronto launch party (along with a lot of other new merchandise).

As this is a pre-order sale, all orders will not ship until the end of June, please take this in to account when ordering.

As well, to make room for all the new merchandise we’re introducing over the course of the summer, we have lowered the price on all of our other t-shirt designs to $20 — that’s 1/3 off! This is our last run of these other designs so stock is very limited.

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Check out this unique world map by Awesome Maps that details all of the hottest surf spots around the world. It is one in a series of maps that Simon Schuetz and illustrator Lars Seiffert of Awesome Maps are creating for adventure lovers around the world.

Currently Awesome Maps has launched on Kickstarter in order to raise funds for a bucket list map they want to create. The map will include all the marvels around the world that everyone needs to visit.

Awesome Maps has also created a snowboarding map as well as a world soccer map.

Via Slate.

Urban Planet is a roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. For more stories from around the planet, check out Spacing on Facebook and Twitter.

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The weather in most regions of Mongolia is incredible fierce and now they are looking to harness those long winters and harsh winds to generate clean energy for future generations.

The wind turbines in Salkhit Mongolia will each tower 384 feet upward, and each blade will be a whopping 120 feet long. They have been engineered to withstand the severe weather that blasts the land.  Each turbine can produce 1.6 MW and the entire project is projected to produce 50 MW and 168.5 million kilowatt hours. Estimates project the wind farm will save the country 122,000 tons of coal and keep 180,000 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

Via TreeHugger.

Urban Planet is a roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. For more stories from around the planet, check out Spacing on Facebook and Twitter.

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On a recent Saturday in May, the Cycling Think and Do Tank partnered with BikeChain and the Charles Street Residences   for graduate students at the University of Toronto, to hold a free bike tune up clinic to help residents get ready for a summer of cycling. With the generous support of volunteer mechanics from the Tank, Charles Street Residence Life, BikeChain and Curbside Cycle, the event repaired and tuned up approximately 100 bicycles.

Jen was one of our superb volunteer bike mechanics

Couples, families and individuals came out in large numbers with bikes of all shapes and sizes. After having their bike fixed, participants also got to choose a treat from a bag of goodies provided by BikeChain: brand new lights and bells for bikes! The excitement in the air could be felt for blocks, and cyclists and pedestrians on the street gathered around to see what all the fun was about. “Why are you doing this?” many would ask. Though each volunteer had their own unique answer, the general sentiment was that we all share a love for bicycling and want to encourage others to take advantage of this fast, convenient, healthy way to get around.

The volunteers also handed out and collected pledges from interested participants. 69 people signed on, accepting the challenge to ride their bicycle to work, school, or for errands at least once per week throughout the summer. By committing to this challenge, they were also entered to win a brand new bicycle donated by our friends at Curbside Cycle.

Some participants said “Oh that’s easy, I already bike every day!” But others were much more hesitant, and it took some encouragement to help them imagine themselves on a bike once a week. They took the pledge very seriously, and you could see them considering the implications of what they were about to take on. About a third noted they rarely ride, but perhaps that’s about to change.

As the day went on, more and more people joined the line up to receive the tune up. There were five mechanics on site, and an additional 14 volunteers. The patience and positive attitudes expressed by those waiting was wonderful. With so much interest in the event, by late afternoon there was a fairly lengthy delay in getting to the bike stands. Treats from our supporter David’s  Tea helped pass the wait, and the free lunch provided by Charles Street Residence Life was much appreciated. There wasn’t a single complaint to be heard. Participants stood around smiling, mingling with each other, and catching up with family and friends. There was a lot of talk about what people planned to do with their newly repaired bicycles. Some started asking about group rides they can join, others wanted tips on the calmest roads to ride on, and some asked about interesting destinations they should bike to in the city.

What did everyone at the event have in common that day? Summer cycling was on their mind!

The next generation.

Katie Wittman is a researcher with the Toronto Cycling Think & Do Tank. All photos by Daniel Rother a student working with the project.

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Think your city streets are hard to navigate? Well try this maze that took seven years to draw.

Twitter was buzzing after @Kya7y posted snapshots of this extreme maze. Calls for prints and inquiries surfaced after she found some of her father’s old papers, snapped some shots and posted them online. The maze was created by her father – a university custodian – who has been drawing mazes as a hobby for more than 30 years.

Via Colossal.

Urban Planet is a roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. For more stories from around the planet, check out Spacing on Facebook and Twitter.

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If you want to buy a bike off the rack – a generic duplicate manufactured by the thousands – then this bike shop is not for you.

718 Cyclery is a unique bike shop in Brooklyn that turns the experience of buying a bike on its head. “Therapy” sessions are scheduled in which the customer explains why they want a bike. 718 Cyclery then orders parts to suit your lifestyle and then invite you to come in and help build your bike.

The film was created by Show Love.

Via Vimeo.

Urban Planet is a roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. For more stories from around the planet, check out Spacing on Facebook and Twitter.

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While vending machines for sugary soda drinks and candy are commonplace, here’s a vending machine that offers bike safety.

HelmetHub has created a vending machine that dispenses bike helmets in order to help promote bike share programs. Users can rent helmets for around $2 and have three sizes to choose from. Used helmets are picked up, examined and cleaned before their next use.

The solar-power machines will hit the streets of Boston in July.

Via Treehugger

Urban Planet is a roundup of blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. For more stories from around the planet, check out Spacing on Facebook and Twitter.

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