Increasing sustainability by improving full use of public space: Human Centred Design for easy-to-walk built environment

The paper presents the application of Human Centered Design Methodology for easy-to-walk built environment, meaning for easy-to-walk a place where features and finishing of built environment are selected to give a path really supporting all the scopes of different walking users, in condition of comfort, safety and pleasantness. Overcoming current research, focusing falls studies and showing a separation among biomedical, psychological and technical disciplines, the paper shows an integrated approach where presented technical requirements for easy-to-walk built environment (i.e. dimensions, flooring materials and constructive characteristics together with climatic, acoustic and illuminations conditions) are derived from the observation of different users’ ability and limitations. To do that mobility models have been defined in order to consider walking personal attitude and habits; age of the users and their physiological and pathological modifications; movements, perception and cognition in temporary and permanent disabilities; motivations and life styles of users. Case studies are presented.