Why walkability matters
Why do we willingly walk 20,000 steps in Seoul, Tokyo, or Singapore, but complain about traversing a block in our own city?
It isn’t just the weather that makes these cities so walkable. In fact, we have our own walkable districts, such as Bonifacio Global City and the Makati central business district (CBD).
These areas show that a mix of elements promoting functionality, comfort, convenience, safety, accessibility, connectivity to other modes of transportation, and a pleasant sensory experience can create a more walkable environment.
The environment really does influence human behavior. Ergo, the design of the built environment influences how we move through and around it.
The challenge is how to replicate and integrate these design elements in other areas to expand this walking connectivity across business districts and cities. How can we put Metro Manila in the global map as among the top walkable cities in Asia?
Walk for your brain
But first, why should people be encouraged to walk?
We all know that walking benefits overall health. It is a good cardiovascular exercise, helps build stronger bones and muscles, lowers the risk of chronic diseases, and provides a break from stress and overthinking. We are built to move, and prolonged sitting can be harmful to our health.
Walking does more than take us from one place to another for free. It also supports personal well-being and, collectively, helps nurture more vibrant communities.
Stuck with a problem at school or work? Take a walk. Need fresh ideas? Take a break and stroll to spark inspiration. Walking offers a reset when the mind feels overworked. Exercise or movement improves the flow of oxygen, blood, and nutrients to the brain.
Detour for neuroplasticity
What’s even more amazing is that some studies suggest taking detours may be better for the brain.
Detours can strengthen neuroplasticity, the brain’s capacity to grow and adapt in response to new experiences, regardless of age.
When you stop walking on autopilot, your brain notices the change, recalculates the route, and adjusts. This process engages areas responsible for spatial planning, memory, and problem solving, helping boost creative thinking, flexibility, and mental agility.
Stop, look and linger
In order to introduce detours, each walking trip should have one or more alternative routes.
Instead of a straight “autopilot” street, an alternative route may take the form of a skewed or winding path that opens into a mini plaza or a series of pocket parks with urban features such as seating and artwork.
Pedestrian shortcuts, such as alleys, arcades, and mid-block passages, introduce variety and relieve monotony. A continuous arcade provides excellent weather protection and, when enhanced with signage, street furniture, and landscaping, transforms into a lively corridor of retail and business establishments.
With mixed-use layouts or retail strips, walkers are drawn to stop, look, and linger—enjoying the scenery over a bite or a drink before continuing their journey. Engaging multiple senses helps the brain build new neural pathways, making it more flexible and resilient.
Flow, not force
Urban planning references assume that an average walker covers a distance of 275 feet, or about 84 meters, per minute.
Roughly, it takes about two minutes to walk along one side of a 150-meter block before turning toward another side, crossing the street, or taking an elevated or underground passageway. Since people tend to follow the flow, changes in the direction and speed of pedestrian movement are critical safety considerations.
Protecting pedestrians from crowd convergence, sudden changes in street elevation that could cause slips, and vehicular traffic should be paramount.
Level solid surfaces, gentle curbs, and traffic calming devices such as speed tables at crosswalks improve pedestrian safety and visibility. They also make movement easier and more convenient for people with strollers, grocery carts, luggage, as well as for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Make walking count
Walkability is more than just the number of steps or the speed at which you reach your destination. It is also about the quality of the journey that resonates emotionally with people, creating memorable moments.
The rhythm of footsteps on the pavement marking the time of day, the aroma of coffee wafting through the air, the rustle of leaves like a symphony of nature, the various shades of green in the foliage, and the vibrant hues of seasonal blooms all enrich the walking experience.
These small moments can be nourishing and, to a tired mind and body, may even feel like a luxury, reminding us that walking is, in itself, a quiet celebration of life.
With greater awareness of why walkability matters, we hope our country continues to expand its pedestrian infrastructure through thoughtful, people-centric design, one step at a time.
The author is a senior partner at PRSP Architects
