Walkability in Vienna

Stephansplatz

Nordbahnhof

Mariahilfer Straβe

Cristina McGhee (ID: 11070065) & Georgia Missen (ID: 10276054)

ASSESSING THE WALKABILITY OF THREE MAJOR PEDESTRIAN AREAS IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA International Study Tour (PLAN 60861)

VIENNA: URBAN PLANNING AND SITE SELECTION CONTENTS Cover Page

1

Introduction

2

Walkability Framework

3

Site 1 - Stephansplatz

4-5

Site 2 – Nordbahnhof

6-7

Site 3 - Mariahilfer Straβe

8-9

References

10

INTRODUCTION Vienna is the capital of Austria, with a population of 1.9 million (2.6 million metropolitan area). It is consistently ranked one of the most liveable and walkable cities in the world, and has a historied and unique approach to urban planning

Austria ( Vienna)

(

Vienna City Centre District 1)

TIMELINE OF URBAN PLANNING

SITE SELECTION

01 HISTORIC DESTINATION: Stephansplatz-Graben

Balancing UNESCO World Heritage status, modern urban growth, and major pedestrian zones, the historic core of Vienna is a key shopping and cultural destination, full of Baroque monuments and heritage.

Nordbahnhof 02 MODERN NEIGHBOURHOOD: An ongoing residential project aiming to Division of Labour Georgia Missen [ID: 10276054] • Mariahilfer straβe (pages 8-9) • Serial vision sketches & annotations (all projects) • Introduction & Walkability • Stephansplatz; shared Cristina McGhee [ID: 11070065] • Nordbahnhof (pages 6-7) • Walkability • Stephansplatz; shared

redevelop the derelict north railway into a walkable, vibrant neighbourhood; with 20,000 inhabitants expected by 2025.

03 RETAIL ARTERY: Mariahilfer Straβe

Over 1km of retail links several districts and key quarters; the Westbahnhof railway station, cultural core of MuseumsQuarter and Ringstraβe, and the historic, baroque centre; District 1.

2

WALKABILITY DEFINITIONS & INTERPRETATIONS OF WALKABILITY The extent to which the built environment is friendly to the presence of people living, shopping, visiting, enjoying or spending time in an area (Abley, 2005)

Walkability relies on the interdependencies between density, mix, and access in synergy, and how these relate to the ways cities concentrate people and buildings, how people and activities are mixed, and the networks used to navigate through them (Dovey & Pafka, 2020)

A quantitative and qualitative measurement of how inviting an area is to pedestrians. […] Built environments that promote and facilitate walking – are better places to live, have higher real estate values, promote healthier lifestyles and have higher levels of social cohesion. (Forsyth, 2015)

THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKABILITY

BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES

Physical and Mental Health: by encouraging increased physical activity, walkable cities have been linked to a decreased risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Additionally, Mental Well-being is linked to increased physical activity, especially in outdoor green spaces, and the independence offered by walkable cities (Moudon et al., 2006) (Baobeid et al., 2020)

WALKBILITY FRAMEWORK

Accessibility

Is it convenient to walk?

Permeability

Sustainability: by reducing car dependency, walkable cities can reduce noise & air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and traffic congestion (Katz, 2014)

Neighbourhood Economy: Walkability can stimulate local economies by promoting frequent neighbourhood shopping; rather than infrequent (car-dependent) trips to large, outof-town, retail centres (Litman, 2022)

The ease of reach to key amenities and public transport; links that are easily reachable reinforces use of sustainable modes of transport including walking (Fonseca et al., 2022). the availability of direct, clear, and alternative routes between destinations (Ellis et al., 2016)

Is it attractive to walk?

Public Realm

Public realm provides spaces for interaction and recreation; wellmaintained, attractive public realm encourages pedestrians to take that route (Johansson et al., 2016).

Traffic

How road users are protected from harm. This definition emphasizes the importance of protecting vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, as well as motorists (Shinar, 2017).

Activity

Legibility

Complexity

Crime

“Eyes on the street”- passive and active surveillance, through presence of shops, sightlines, frontages (Jacobs, 1961)., as well as good lighting and maintenance encourage walkability across 24hrs (Mehta, 2008).

Is it safe to walk?

the ease of wayfinding around a place; legible places have clear direct routes and uses physical landmarks to help orientation (Ewing and Handy, 2009).

visual interest in a place, generated by a variety of buildings, facades, lighting, people and landscape elements. For the pedestrian, complexity makes journeys more interesting and appear shorter (Ewing and Handy, 2009).

Sociability: Walkable neighborhoods promote interaction through their compact layouts and improve chances for people to meet, helping to foster community and social cohesion within their neighbourhood. (du Toit et al., 2007)(Hanibuchi et al., 2012)

MicroEnvironment

Is it comfortable to walk?

Enclosure

Presence of people in the area, adds to the perceived, and actual safety of a place.

(Newman 1972).

Suitable conditions (temperature, noise, sunlight, shade and wind) influenced by man-made changes which support outdoor activities in public spaces (Mehta, 2008).

Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, Spain a place that is highly legible; clear and distinct landmarked space which is easily comprehensible to the people navigating the space (Lynch, 1964)

Rotterdam, Netherlands where the city has implemented CPTED principles, including eyes on the street & active frontage in residential areas (Jeffery, 1977).

Enclosure is provided by vertical elements (typically buildings and trees) on streets and public spaces. (Ewing and Handy, 2009). Having boundaries and limits imbues a sense of safety and comfort (Jacobs, 1993).

Vienna is a highly walkable city; almost 30% of all journeys are made on foot, with Step2025 aiming for 80% EcoMobility (walking, cycling and public transport) by 2025 (Stadt Wien, 2014). Multimodality is very much the focus of future development plans, with several high-profile pedestrian streets being created/reclaimed from cars throughout the 21st century; notably Mariahilfer Straβe (feeding the Westbahnhof and MuseumsQuartier), and the Graben (feeding into Stephansplatz; a key tourist destination) – major shopping and cultural zones and areas of exceptionally high footfall. Additionally, Vienna has shown repeated care in addressing specific urban design challenges; with female-led, disability focused, and/or child-oriented designs, integrated alongside more “universal” features of good walkability in its new urban design projects, notably the Nordbahnhof redevelopment and Aspern Seestadt.

Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain known for its pedestrian-friendly design, with a wide central promenade for walking and various shops and restaurants on either side (Katz, 2014).

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01 - HISTORIC PROJECT: STEPHANSPLATZ - GRABEN With St. Stephan’s Cathedral (Stephansdom) at its core, Stephansplatz is located at the geographical heart of Vienna.

Since the early 13th century, Stephansplatz has stood at the centre of Vienna, having, been renovated and modified significantly over time Today, it attracts up to 80,000 visitors a day; and has emerging zones of pedestrianised high streets; notably the Graben and Kärnter Straβe, with a permeable network of side streets.

District 1 is full of monumental, Baroque architecture; however Vienna has always had a bold / experimental approach to architecture, or aesthetic preservation. An infamous example of this is the postmodern Haas House, placed opposite the mediaeval-gothic church on Stephansplatz; reflecting the spire in its curved face.

The Haas House (b. 1990)

Is it convenient to walk?

Metros run every 5 minutes; Lines U1 & U3 connect here, making Stephansplatz a key hub; serving approx. 167,000 riders per day (U-Bahn Wien, 2016) Bus services (1A, 2A, 3A) run services every 10 mins

Trams (line 1 & 2) pass along the Ringstraβe every 4-8 minutes Horse-Drawn Carriage – a popular tourist attraction, there are 400 “Fiakers” across Vienna, and are especially frequent around Stephansdom

Legibility is complex; the abundance of landmarks both at the small and monumental scale (as indicated in the serial vision) creates an ease of wayfinding towards Stephansplatz.

The blocks are highly permeable; with breaks every 100-150m.

Networks of interior courtyards offer private space, and disperse footfall; especially as many of the side roads off Stephansplatz are particularly narrow (with limited street furniture)

A – interior block providing quiet space and resident parking

B – Stephansdom as a key landmark on side roads

C – permeable cut throughs between blocks – not the most legible for non-locals

SERIAL VISION

Landmark

PedestrianOnly Route

Kiosks and pop-up stands provide food & beverages, but limited seating

Josefsbrunnen (street scale) Active street frontages; with flexible space (often used as spill-out seating areas in warm weather)

Colour Palette

Use of fountains along Graben as street-scale landmarks Plague Column (street scale)

St Peter’s Kirche (monumental scale)

However, the constant façade of Baroque architecture and limited palette makes wayfinding away from Stephansplatz more unclear.

Jungferngasse provides bus access

Public toilets

Very poor legibility and landmarking within this section

Is it safe to walk?

D – streets are very narrow, thus the “Passagen” – arcadetype walkways with shops to offer shelter and limit pedestrian-vehicle interface

Public Infrastructure Zone

Shared Road (pedestrian & vehicular)

E – Graben is a highly active pedestrian thoroughfare primarily with retail frontage activating the route

F – Liliengasse; side road near the cathedral is eerily quiet at night

As the central district and main tourist attraction Stephansplatz is filled with people day and night. Crime rates are very low; most commonly petty theft.

Narrow routes between blocks slow traffic although most do not allow separation of people from vehicles.

glimpse of the spire

Haas Building

approx ratio Stephansdom (monumental scale)

Increased abundance of cafes and public infrastructure; encouraging pedestrians to stay close to the Cathedral One of several access points to Ubahn station

1:1

enclosure

Overall, while there is an abundance of attractive Baroque architecture, the lack of formal or yearround infrastructure or GI can leave Stephansplatz and the Graben feeling rather empty

4

Is it comfortable to walk? even on major shopping routes enclosure remains high; the imposing baroque architecture amplifies the 2:1 enclosure ratio, and limited pedestrian space due to vehicle presence and onstreet parking further exacerbates this

monumental scale of Stephansdom and relatively narrow corners to the square create a strong sensation of enclosure (approx. ratio of 2:1)

30m

While material changes are used to demarcate the public realm, there is a significant lack of furniture or GI.

Singerstraße

Interior courtyards (approx. 1:1)

The microenvironment is particularly poor; there is sparse GI, and no trees or shade provisions. Consequently, a very strong wind tunnel can be created across Stephansplatz.

15m

19m

62m

Is it attractive to walk?

22m

32m

15m

G – pedestrian-oriented side-road; visual link to Peter’s Kirche (legibility), with street furniture and GI

despite this, the square is dominated by Stephansdom (likely by design) with a high enclosure ratio exerted from the church’s sheer scale

Walkability Rating Accessibility Is it convenient to walk?

The historic architecture creates attractive routes with a high degree of visual complexity, The main pedestrian thoroughfares are decluttered, prioritising their function as high movement corridors leading to the cathedral square.

Permeability

Legibility Crime Is it safe to walk?

Traffic safety Activity

The baroque building facades are highly complex and rich in ornamentation. Unique entrances at the ground floor further add to visual interest. Furthermore, although an exception, the Haas House breaks up the consistent baroque façade with modern architecture.

H – newer additions of GI add complexity to the street space

Semi- private courtyards offer remarkable respite from external noise

I – limited seating and benches in the square. Seating is not particularly attractive rather functional

The sheer number of people present at one time adds to the complexity of the environment and creates a vibrant atmosphere

Is it comfortable to walk?

Enclosure

Is it attractive to walk?

Public realm

Micro-environment

Complexity

CONCLUSIONS •

• •

•

Stephansplatz is highly convenient; it is well-connected to the city’s public transport networks, and is highly permeable.

Additionally, the towering Stephansdom hugely aids with legibility and wayfinding towards the square and city centre.

The high density of people in the area throughout the day and pedestrianised streets makes Stephensplatz safe to walk.

Stephansplatz is somewhat comfortable; attractive architecture and pleasant enclosure create beautiful, dynamic spaces, however there is a huge lack environmental management, especially in the form of GI. The historic buildings and well-maintained public realm create an attractive environment.

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02 - MODERN PROJECT: NORDBAHNHOF The Nordbahnhof district is one of the most important inner city housing development zones in Vienna. Since the 1990s, the 85-hectare former railway station has been transformed into a residential neighbourhood with new 10,000 new apartments, schools, and parks.

Completed to date are the areas around the Rudolf-Bednar-Park, the Austria Campus and the Wohnallee mit Bildungscampus (Residential Avenue with Education Campus). The last phase will be completed by 2026; the Freie Mitte – Vielseitiger Rand (Free Center – Versatile Edge), the centre of which will be a 10-hectare park, which will incorporate elements of the site’s industrial past, as well as providing wildlife habitats and biodiverse recreational areas, contributing to the neighbourhood green walkable network.

Nordbahnhof is very accessible by public transport, and encourages walking and biking.

Is it convenient to walk?

The district is highly permeable given the grid pattern arrangement and open block concept.

Public spaces are well connected by multiple routes, many of which are pedestrian-only.

Metro U1 is near-directly accessible, with services (N-S) to the city centre every 5 mins, and the U2 (W-E) every 4 minutes.

Tram Line 2 and Line 5 run along the Nordbahnstraße and the recently extended Line O connects into the neighbourhood, running every 7 minutes

Pedestrian routes through the blocks increase permeability, and encourage the communal use of green spaces within the internal courtyards.

The apartment buildings have very similar facades and colour palettes, negatively affecting legibility. Some have distinctive cladding, such as wood and coloured glass balconies. Overall, there are few buildings of distinctive architecture namely the Orthodox Church and the Wasserturm (Water Tower) building.

Buses 11A, 11B, 5B and 82A serve the district every 6-10 minutes

Colour Palette

SERIAL VISION Is it safe to walk?

There is a clear pedestrian focus in the street design. Where possible traffic is restricted or calmed e.g., opposite the school in Rudolf-Bednar park. The main streets (e.g Bruno-Marek-Allee) are multi modal; cars share with cyclists and trams. Car-sharing points further encourage sustainable transport.

This family friendly neighbourhood has low crime rates, and like the rest of Vienna is very safe. Well-used play areas and spillout spaces activate the public spaces and ensures activity.

Landmark

Kindergarden & Primary School; with large waiting/activity area adjacent to a tram stop and several small shops to facilitate parents and young children

Romanian Homogenous colour palette Orthodox negatively affects legibility: thus reliance on (minor) Church architectural detailing for landmarks

Active frontages (cafes, after-school activities) onto park, as well as frontage onto RB Park

Shared Road (pedestrian & vehicular) PedestrianOnly Route

Public Realm Zone

Various GI, seating and play options (including in-floor trampolines); huge amount of leisure space

Street furniture more limited: activities are placed within block interiors, thus the main route can be vehicle-priority

Transition into shared road model

Strong frontages onto GI spaces, strong enclosure (2:1) of routes

6

Is it comfortable to walk?

There is a network of well-connected green spaces that are traffic-free, whilst residential streets generally have low volumes of traffic and wide pavements with planting provide a buffer from noise and pollution.

Rudolf-BednarPark is a large open space (3.2 hectares) Enclosure is provided by medium sized trees along pathways.

pathway split into sections with rows of trees defining different movement corridors: one for ground floor uses, one central pathway connecting to Vorgartenstraße, and one pathway to access the park.

Vorgartenstraße roughly has a 1.1 street ratio.

Trees provides human scale enclosure

Diverse tree species including honey locust, ash, catalpa and dawn redwood tree, provide shade in summer.

Reed garden along central pathway

Colourful balconies add diversity to the monochromatic palette

B

Volleyball pitch Basketball court

B'

Wild garden encourages biodiversity Enclosure

A' analysis

A Is it attractive to walk?

Walkability Rating There some complexity to the streetscapes. Double ground floor ceiling heights at main junctions add to the human scale, streetlevel shops and restaurants add some visual interest. Formally landscaped areas and play areas with bold colours create variety. However, non-residential uses are limited, in particular Vorgartenstraße has little active frontage.

The balcony pods aimed to bring life onto the street, and certainly make it more unique, even if unsuccessfully executed There is an excellent hierarchy of public spaces from publicly accessible spaces to semiprivate courtyards, offering a range of recreational activities.

Underground parking facilitates green courtyards and parks, maximising space for pedestrians. These spaces are linked by thoroughfares with wide pavements and well-maintained GI, creating a pleasant walking experience.

Accessibility Is it convenient to walk?

Permeability Legibility Crime

A - Rudolf-Bednar-Park includes a skatepark, sports pitches, exercise area, play areas, and wildflower planting.

B - Internal courtyards with landscaped gardens are accessible to the public and provide a quieter space to sit and/or play

Is it safe to walk?

Activity Is it comfortable to walk?

Enclosure

Is it attractive to walk?

Public realm

Micro-environment

Complexity

CONCLUSIONS • • •

C - Children's play area with zones to practice riding bikes

Traffic safety

Nordbahnhof is a convenient place to walk as local facilities are well connected by public transport and the neighbourhood is highly permeable.

Pedestrian-only routes and walkable infrastructure ensure movement in this low-traffic neighbourhood feels safe.

Extensively landscaped gardens between blocks, green infrastructure and the wide variety of play and seating areas creates comfortable and attractive environments although the limited architectural complexity contributes to poor legibility.

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03 - MARIAHILFER STRAβE Vienna’s largest shopping street; Mariahilfer Straβe (hereby MHS) spans 1.8km, linking the historic inner city (notably the MuseumsQuartier) to the Westbahnhof train station The present route has existed since the Roman times, with primary use in the mediaeval times as westwards link between Vienna and Linz. Since the mid 1800s this route has been populated with restaurants, traders and shops.

Since 2015, MHS has been heavily pedestrianised: fully car-free within the central zone, and with limited (one-way) vehicle access within other zones; limited to 20km/h. Servicing vehicles are only permitted entry until 13:00, and there is no permanent parking allowed on the street. All traffic (pedestrian and vehicular) given equal priority within a shared-space 1908 2022 2002 road model.

Is it convenient to walk?

Site Map + Key Locations

Westbahnhof – MuseumsQuarter is an approximately 25 minute walk

Metros run every 5 minutes; Line 3 (runs directly along MHS) offering services East-West, Line 6 (runs perpendicular to MHS along the Westbahnhof) offering North-South movement

Trams (41 and 77) run through the neighbouring Neubau district (<5 minute walk from MHS), with services every 4-8 minutes

Bus services (48A, 4A, 59A) within MHS’s periphery (and directly via Bundesländerplatz)

Viennese blocks create a highly permeable landscape; with breaks approx. every 200m Additionally, many side streets are also active along their intersections with MHS; providing quieter, more intimate spaces

A – 20m setback allows for Mariahilf Kirche to be highlighted, creating space for market stalls; calming the atmosphere from the faster-paced movement directly along MHS

Is it safe to walk?

As shown in the serial visions, the “buffer zone” provided by public infrastructure, help create a pleasant, safe environment.

B – calmer but still active side road: offering both increased permeability, and greater dimension of activity for users

Colour Palette

Mixed-use: residential units provide frontage for offpeak hours

Shared Space Zone Same Day; 300m apart

Night Time Environment MHS is very well-lit, however the majority of retail is day-time oriented, leaving it fairly quiet at night.

Despite this, it is clear that pedestrians actively prefer the car-free sections of MHS over the shared zones

Car-Free Zone

Legibility is poor; while the Baroque architecture is aesthetically pleasing (and the diversity of shop fronts add a great deal of complexity), the lack of colour diversity, or architectural variation, lends to a monotonous, illegible space

C – Neubaugasse allows for bus and car transit, but the abundance of car parking on MHS’ periphery creates an unpleasant environment

Active shop fronts, with spill-out offset 5m into the public realm: creating both a road buffer, and creating a pedestrian highway along the building base

D – Zollergasse at night

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Landmark

Public Realm Zone

Shared Road (pedestrian & vehicular) Pedestrian Route

trees provide enclosure + shading Complex and abundant public realm: a buffer between footpath and shared route Attempt at using modern architecture as landmark

Is it comfortable to walk?

Approx 1:1 ratio between the trees lining MHS Tall shade trees: Maple or Chestnut provide significant shade and thermal regulation in summer, and wind breaking effects.

Ornamental trees and planter boxes provide some variation and complexity

MHS in June

4m offset for trees, combined with the high building height creates a highly enclosed, intimate pedestrian route – accentuated by public infrastructure parallel to tree line

Seasonal range is poor

Stiftskirche

Break in tree cover to highlight church and reduction in enclosure

Muath, M. 2022

SERIAL VISION

Umbrellas, kiosks and awnings provide shade and rain cover

MHS in March

Small water features integrated into public realm offer play opportunities and temperature relief during summer

Is it attractive to walk?

Walkability Rating

Pedestrian movement The public infrastructure is diverse and complex; from sun-lounging is refocused through spaces (B, E), GI-Integrated (A, C, D), and a range of seating options. the centre now that vehicules are removed Models A-D promote longer stays; sitting and chatting, while E-F

Bundesländerplatz

opens up the street to relaxes the atmosphere: away from the constant movement along MHS

Another modern landmark attempt: hindered by treeline

A

B

Is it convenient to walk?

Christian-Broder Platz marks a change in the landscape; returning to the cardominated layouts common across Vienna Enclosure drastically reduces: from 1:1 along MHS to approx. 1:2

Legibility

D

Is it safe to walk?

The consistent use of oak wooden benches aids legibility, while integrating the complexity of natural materials into the predominantly urban surroundings

Abundant and popular cyclist infrastructure

Westbahnhof

C

Permeability

Crime

Frontages are active throughout MHS

Strong pedestrian routes with good public infrastructure are retained

Accessibility

are more impersonal; short-stays

(BplusB Architecture, 2015)

Spill out spaces captures footfall for several uses: benches for seating, café spaces, GI etc…

Enclosure analysis

Traffic safety Activity

E

F

Rich infrastructure provides many essential services or positive effects to improve pedestrian experience; encouraging retention of footfall

G

Enclosure

Is it attractive to walk?

Public Realm

Micro-environment

Complexity

CONCLUSIONS •

Free water fountains

The diversity of shopfronts and kiosks at the human scale, combined with the variety of public infrastructure creates a highly complex, dynamic and engaging streetscape.

Is it comfortable to walk?

• •

•

Mariahilfer Straβe (MHS) is highly convenient; it is highly permeable, and access to the underground and rail networks, as well as bus and tram make it a prime destination for retail.

Legibility is very poor however; due to monotonous architecture and colour palettes.

Pedestrianisation has made MHS highly safe to walk; severely restricting vehicular access, and frequent activity makes it a space which can be used safely; though at night-time can be very isolated High density of tall shade trees, and regular GI planters along the street creates a comfortable environment; and is especially effective during summer for temperature control, shade and wind breaking.

MHS possesses a rich abundance of public infrastructure, and, complex and active network of shops and kiosks, creates an attractive environment

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