#urbansprawl

[easteringson]

Obligatory clouds and sunset post. #iphoneography #sunset #clouds #urbansprawl #albumcoverart (at Birmingham, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoVFu9MDBq4uERRqQ8sCwZi18wzKpo3bljWzQs0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[streets2020]

Urban sprawl • • • #urbanphotography #urbanización #construction #buildings #property #modernliving #urbansprawl #malagalife (at Málaga, Spain) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZu9CFHsai6/?utm_medium=tumblr

[infrakrasnyy]

Silverlake, Los Angeles

[worldurbanplanning]

Location | Apple Park, Cupertino, CA, USA The corporate headquarters of Apple is named the Apple Park. It opened in 2017 and accommodates more than 12,000 employees within the 318,000 sqm office and laboratory space (80% of the campus is green space). However, it has more than 14,200 parking spaces covering an area of 325,000 sqm. Cupertino Parking Regulations required 11,000 parking spaces, while Apple provided more than 22% more parking than required. The development of the park has been heavily criticised for contributing to urban sprawl and car-dependency. Fortunately, Apple provides buses to the campus and offer bicycles to get around in the campus, and neighbours have seen an property value increase. #applepark #cupertino #california #usa #unitedstates #worldurbanplanning #urbanplanning #cityplanning #landscapearchitecture #ca #urbanpatterns #park #urbansprawl #cardependent #apple #residential #urbandesign #design #aerial #aerialview #circle #forest #도시 #도시계획 #fosterandpartners #arup (at Apple Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4skHZ3grhJ/?igshid=1aq8svjh5mu2u

[humanscalecities]

Bill Schultheiss on Twitter

“When people say "there's not enough parking" or the parking is "too far away, I won't go there" I suspect they don't realize how far they walk at shopping malls when you compare them directly. Without visual contact to the destination, people lose perspective.”

[emilynajeraphoto]

Grand Rapids, MI, 2017

©Emily Rogers

[worldurbanplanning]

Location | Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai, UAE Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) is a master development by Nakheel launched in 2005, it is built over an area of over 8.7 sq.km. The development is divided into 6 main districts separated by green space and radial roads from the centre of the development. JVC consist of Villas, Townhouses, Apartments, Offices, Commercial/Retail/F&B and Hotel Serviced Apartments. While it is one of the few developments in Dubai with an overall open space network, there are limited job opportunities within JVC requiring most people to travel by car. Currently, there is also limited and unattractive public transport. #jvc #jumeirahvillagecircle #dubai #dubailand #uae #unitedarabemirates #urbanplanning #cityplanning #landscapearchitecture #worldurbanplanning #urbanpatterns #park #urbansprawl #cardependent #suburban #residential #urbandesign #design #aerial #aerialview #circle #openspace #도시 #도시계획 #nakheel #masterplan #두바이 #아랍에미레이트 (at Jumeirah Village Circle) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5QUWZwgX12/?igshid=fwhv0ixryzkk

[evo-a-lab]

Urban Form and Its Impact on Health

Originally posted by Rodrigo Pantoja-Calderon in Spanish at https://unlugar.org.mx/la-forma-urbana-y-su-repercusion-en-la-salud/#more-3335 on 05/05/2014

It is well known that urban sprawl leads to traffic congestion, pollution, isolation, social inequality, land use speculation, and many other effects. However, the relationship between health and the built environment is rarely discussed. In other words, poorly planned cities that encourage urban sprawl promote unhealthy habits among their inhabitants.

Modern cities - especially suburbs - are not designed to encourage physical activity. On the contrary, they encourage dependence on the car. Most cities in the 19th and 20th centuries were walkable, characterized by compact urban environments with mixed-use developments that included commerce, housing, workplaces, and recreational spaces. However, these urban models changed as a result of poor urban planning combined with high population density, overcrowding, and poor sanitation. As a result, the cities of the 19th century became polluted, overcrowded places with few parks and limited open spaces.

With this new reality, the automobile industry took advantage of the situation and encouraged the development of dispersed cities. Residential areas were separated from industrial zones to provide cleaner, more private, and serene living environments.

The Consequences of Urban Sprawl

These urban and social transformations have led to an urban model similar to the one we are experiencing today: mass (sub-) urbanization, decentralization of historic centers, and the deterioration of walkability in cities. In addition to the common criticisms of this urban model - such as unnecessary land consumption, poor air quality, car dependency, depletion of natural resources, and pollution - it has also contributed to a decline in public health.

According to studies by health researchers in developed countries such as the United States and Sweden, the vast majority of adults do not meet the minimum criteria for physical activity. Various sources suggest that each person should get at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week. [1].

Commuting long distances for work, education, and entertainment encourages car dependency and leads to sedentary lifestyles. Cities used to encourage physical activity through walkability and the prevalence of manual labor. Today, people come home exhausted from sitting in traffic, only to repeat the cycle the next day. This lack of physical activity results in wasted time and energy, ultimately leading to lethargy.

Health Risks of Sedentary Lifestyles

Today's sedentary lifestyles put most adults at risk, according to a report on physical activity recommendations published by the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington. Similarly, Dr. James F. Sallis and other researchers argue in the Role of Built Environments in Physical Activity, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Disease that automation and computerization have significantly reduced physical activity in the workplace and at home.

The main diseases associated with physical inactivity include diabetes, obesity, cancer, osteoporosis, and mental disorders. People living in large cities now have higher rates of obesity, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar than people living in rural areas because most urban environments are not conducive to physical activity.

In the past, individuals did not need to set aside time for physical activity. Daily activities were physically demanding enough to increase heart rate, burn calories, raise body temperature, induce sweating (thus eliminating toxins), increase oxygen levels, and trigger the production of endorphins and other biochemical reactions. Nowadays, people need to make a conscious effort to plan physical activity to reap these benefits.

For this reason, it is important to promote walkability in cities and provide parks, sidewalks, and trails near residential areas. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health [2] showed that people with access to public parks near their homes were almost twice as likely to meet the Department of Health and Human Services recommendations for physical activity than those without nearby recreational facilities. Public parks are generally accessible to populations at higher risk of physical inactivity and are available at low cost. Their role is strategic in helping to prevent disease through physical and recreational activity.

Greenways and corridors can also serve as spaces for recreation, physical activity, and active transport. They tend to be used more if they are aesthetically pleasing, well-lit, and surrounded by public spaces than if they are unclean and noisy. The presence of parks, paths, and corridors within short walking distances further increases the likelihood of engaging in health-promoting activities. A study in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Pediatrics) [3] found that neighborhoods with more recreational facilities had lower rates of childhood obesity.

Similarly, Lawrence D. Frank's book Health and Community Design [4] highlights how the built environment can promote physical activity and health through various studies that examine the relationship between urban form and public health. The book discusses factors that influence physical activity in cities and modes of transport.

The Need for Urban Reform

Current urban models and land use strategies need to be adapted to counteract urban sprawl and sedentary lifestyles through activities such as walking and exercise. According to Frank, the benefits of walking and cycling as modes of transport include environmental protection and enhancement, healthier lifestyles, promotion of a sense of community, economic diversity, convenient and efficient transport, energy conservation, and economic viability.

In 2004, the United States Department of Transportation reported that between 1977 and 1995, the number of people walking to work decreased by 32 percent. These figures have continued to rise, highlighting the opportunity to create better pedestrian routes that encourage greater urban proximity and healthier habits. When neighborhoods have sidewalks, well-lit streets, and pedestrian safety from traffic, residents walk more and engage in more physical activity [5].

Dense urban areas tend to have good connectivity, pedestrian infrastructure, and accessible public transport. Problems arise when urban sprawl fragments the city, reducing proximity to destinations and leaving infrastructure in place - meaning a lack of parks and essential services.

A 'non-walkable' environment does not promote health, mixed-use development, connectivity, or economic viability. Low-income communities are often disadvantaged by greater isolation, with limited access to parks, recreational facilities, aesthetically pleasing environments, and traffic safety. There is a growing awareness of the need to transform the built environment to promote health and equity.

Solutions for a Healthier Urban Future

The good news is that the design, quality, and layout of parks, trails, green corridors, and cities can be influenced by public policy (a top-down approach) or citizen activism (a bottom-up approach). Implementing these changes requires urban transformation and policy adaptation.

These interventions require long-term interdisciplinary collaboration involving research teams and community initiatives. The involvement of a wide range of professionals and social sectors will help to develop holistic solutions. This requires the participation of architects, urban planners, landscape architects, geographers, transport representatives, public space authorities, sociologists, doctors, and the wider community.

Rodrigo Pantoja-Calderón, MLArch, BArch.

References.

[1] Hgstromer Mtroiano RP, Sjostrom M, Berrigan D. Levels and patterns of objectivity assessed physical activity: a comparison between Sweden and the United States. Am J Epidemio, 2010; 171:1055-1064.

[2] Brownson RC, Baker EA, Housemann RA, Brenna LK, Bacak SJ. Environmental and policy determinants of physical activity in the United Stated. Am J Public health 2001; 91:1995-2003

[3] Gordon-Larsen P, Nelson MC, Page P. Pokin BM. Inequality in the built environment underlies key health disparities in physical activity obesity. Pediatrics. 2006; 117:417-424

[4] Frank, Lawrence D. Health and Community Design: The Impact of The Built Environment On Physical Activity. Island Press, 2003.

[5] Durand CP, Andalib M, Dunton GF. Wolch J, Pentz MA. A systematic review of built environment factors related to physical activity and obesity risk: implications for Smart growth urban planning. Obes Rev. 2011; 12e173-e182 Foto de portada: Paul Strand. Wall Street. 1915