The contribution of active facades to making cities more walkable

Abstract

The primary contribution of active facades to the walkability of cities is to generate movement on the streets at all times of the day by promoting a diversity of uses and attractiveness for pedestrians on the ground floors of buildings. The generated movement, supported by the proximity of street observers, sidewalk guardians, storefronts and counters, contributes to making public spaces safer. The so-called "eyes on the street", originally advocated by Jane Jacobs in 1961, reappear in the discourse of urbanists, architects and thinkers of urban space, even when discussing "smart cities" with a focus on people. It's worth noting that a mix of land uses in close proximity and the implementation of active facades alone are not sufficient to make cities more walkable and safe. For instance, it is necessary that sidewalks be wider, well-paved, well-signposted, free from obstructions, and have shade, especially in a hot city like Salvador. This article aims to revisit the literature related to the topic, selecting key authors to establish its conceptual foundation. It also reviews possibilities for measuring walkability in cities and its relationships with active facades, in addition to the existing incentives in current urban legislation in this regard. To go beyond bibliographic studies, the article concludes with a Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) of a street in Salvador, Bahia, instigating reflections for future projects.