Mobility, accessibility, and urban form

Urban settlements are characterized by an organization of space around a street network, which enables mobility and accessibility, and increases the probability of fruitful human contact among strangers. In the 19th century, cities around the world expanded drastically. However, during the 20th and 21st centuries, many cities became increasingly dependent on the automobile for mobility and accessibility, to the detriment of the urban environment and the residents’ health. Over the last 50 years, a new paradigm of urban design has evolved to answer current challenges of urbanization. This paradigm looks back to the historic elements of urbanism and reinterprets them on a larger regional scale.