Urban Design for Connection: The New Focus on Walkability and Public Spaces

In Lagos Island’s Marina district, Broad Street has transformed into a pedestrian haven. Completed in late 2023 as part of the 'WalkLagos' initiative, the project introduced widened sidewalks and shaded seating areas. “We wanted to give the street back to the people,” says architect Funmilayo Oyetunji, a lead planner. “The focus has shifted from vehicles to human-scale interaction because that is where cities thrive.”

Urban design is shifting globally from car-centric to pedestrian-friendly planning. Bogotá, Colombia, closes 76 kilometers of streets to cars every Sunday through the Ciclovía programme, inviting cyclists and families to reclaim the road. Barcelona’s Superblock initiative restricts vehicle access within designated grids, creating walkable plazas and green spaces. In Accra, Nima Neighbourhood Park, launched in early 2022, reimagines compact urban areas with shaded seating and performance lawns where an informal dumping ground once existed.

This shift arises from the demand for urban environments that prioritize social and ecological health. By mid-century, the UN projects that 68% of the global population will live in cities. Without intervention, this densification risks alienating residents from their environments. “Our cities have to be designed for interaction, not isolation,” says Professor Mariam Adenle from the University of Ibadan. “Design initiatives that foster walkability and shared spaces are foundational to sustainable urban life.”

Walkability focuses on creating environments where walking is preferable. Continuous sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are essential. However, the deeper value of walkability lies in enhancing community cohesion. Small businesses thrive in areas with high foot traffic, and casual encounters in shared spaces foster bonds. Studies from the Journal of Urban Studies indicate that neighborhoods with high walkability scores report greater levels of social trust and engagement.

This connection between walkability and community health drives public-private collaborations. In Nairobi, the Green City Streets project, led by the city government and the Danish Urban Planning Studio, has introduced pedestrianized streets lined with urban gardens. “These spaces are not just corridors; they are destinations,” explains project coordinator Peter Kamau. “When you give people beautiful, accessible spaces to walk, you invite them to linger and interact.”

Yet, the pivot towards walkable urban design faces challenges. In Lagos, the Broad Street project faced resistance from vendors displaced during construction. Oyetunji acknowledges the complexity: “Urban design must serve multiple, sometimes competing, needs. Our approach was to incorporate feedback from displaced vendors, resulting in dedicated market zones in the final plan. Still, the transition is hard.” This dynamic is echoed across cities, where reallocating space from cars to people often prompts challenges rooted in existing livelihoods.

Sustainability underpins much of this work. The global climate crisis demands urban spaces that mitigate environmental harm. Green corridors and rainwater harvesting systems are becoming standard. The 2021 redesign of Kumasi’s Kejetia Market integrated solar shading and natural ventilation, significantly reducing energy costs. In Lagos, the Lekki Urban Forest and Animal Sanctuary Initiative (LUFASI) demonstrates how green spaces can serve as ecological preserves and community hubs.

But sustainability is as much about people as it is about the planet. In densely populated cities, public spaces act as the 'lungs' of the community—places where diverse groups overlap, facilitating cultural exchange. Designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello argues that design for such spaces must be contextual. “Off-the-shelf solutions won’t work across urban Africa,” he says. “You see it in benches that are ignored because they’re too hot to sit on, or playgrounds that flood every rainy season.”

Technology reshapes urban design discourse. Digital tools like GIS mapping allow planners to simulate pedestrian flows and optimize accessibility. Citizens increasingly participate in co-design processes through apps that crowdsource urban improvement ideas. For instance, Abuja’s MyCity app, launched in 2022, enables residents to log suggestions and flag maintenance issues. “Participation closes the gap between the users and decision-makers of urban design,” Adenle notes. “It’s a necessary shift in governance.”

However, as urban design pivots towards walkability and shared spaces, significant questions remain. How do cities ensure these initiatives are inclusive? Public spaces can inadvertently become playgrounds for gentrification, displacing vulnerable communities under the guise of 'beautification.' As Lagos, Nairobi, and other metropolises experiment with pedestrian-focused transformations, the challenge lies in balancing innovation with social justice. Who gets to walk, linger, and thrive in these newly imagined cities?

“Urban design must be a conversation, not a monologue,” Marcus-Bello says. This dialogue will determine whether the cities of tomorrow are truly for everyone.