14 cities around the world that are better for pedestrians than people with cars

Cities that depend on wherever and whenever possible on human-powered transport, that’s walking and cycling, are clearly among the best places to live.

No cars, happy people.

Travelling around the world to look at, and consider, cities that have created major sections free of motor  vehicles, Melbourne’s Bruce Echberg was able to report about these successes for the Urban Design Forum (UDF).

“Promoting motorless zones not only makes cities more friendly for those on foot or cycling. The change can also improve air quality and congestion as well as help preserve historic streets that might otherwise be damaged by constant use and overcrowding”, he wrote on the UDF’s website.

Read the story and admire the pictures - ”14 cities around the world that are better for pedestrians than people with cars.”

A timely response to climate change through careful urban design

Our response to climate change has many facets, but chief among them is how we live and how we move about.

Urban designer, Bruce Echberg, of Melbourne’s Urban Initiatives, has just returned from a study trip to Europe where he looked at how people there have planed their cities to encourage “people interaction” and the ease of movement.

Bruce, a founding member of Melbourne’s Urban Design Forum, that celebrates its 25^th birthday this year, has had, through Urban Initiatives, a long involvement with the City of Greater Shepparton.

His pictures tell a wonderful story about how our towns and cities should, and could, look.

Bruce has divided his series of pictures into three: "European Bikes and infrastructure"; "Floriade 2012 Venlo"; and "HAFENCITY Hamburg July 2012".