| A prosperous economy is causing rapid expansion of Chinese cities and has led to a large number of new developments. Compared to traditional urban forms, newer forms of development are more automobile-oriented, and result in a loss of street life and human scale. The goal of this research was to understand the changing urban landscape in contemporary China and its impact on pedestrian environments by comparing the walkability of two different-aged neighourhoods in Hangzhou, China. To achieve this goal, walkability criteria were developed from the literature and applied to the evaluation of the two selected sites. Data were collected through photographs taken on site and used to produce a series of graphic layers. The analysis involved both a comparison of layers showing different walkability factors and an overlay study identifying the combined level of walkability performance in each of the two study sites. The results indicate the advantages and disadvantages of each urban form. Design recommendations are provided to assist landscape architects and urban design professionals to improve the walkability of both rehabilitated and emerging urban areas. |
