The Pleasure Of Walking In A Neighbourhood: The Pedestrian Route Network And Its Fractal Dimension As A Tool For The Assessment Of The Right Balance Between Chaos And Order

Research demonstrates that the fractal dimension (FD) of pedestrian route networks can effectively assess walkability, with optimal values between 1.3 and 1.9 corresponding to perceived agreeableness and stress reduction. The study found that highly walkable urban quarters exhibit FD within this range at box edge lengths of 5–50 meters, aligning with typical decision-making distances for pedestrians. Investigations of car-oriented, walkable, and newly constructed quarters in Hamburg, Germany, as well as historical cities like Salamanca, Spain, and Harar Jugol, Ethiopia, confirmed that fractal behavior within this range correlates with perceived walkability. This approach provides a quantitative tool to evaluate the balance between chaos and order in pedestrian networks, offering insights for urban planning.

Dietrich, U. (2022). The Pleasure Of Walking In A Neighbourhood: The Pedestrian Route Network And Its Fractal Dimension As A Tool For The Assessment Of The Right Balance Between Chaos And Order. International Journal of Transport Development and Integration, 6(2), 155–167. https://doi.org/10.2495/tdi-v6-n2-155-167