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Assessing the Rationality and Walkability of Campus Layouts

Author

Listed:
  • Zhehao Zhang

    (School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China)

  • Thomas Fisher

    (School of Architecture, College of Design, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA)

  • Gang Feng

    (School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China)

Abstract

Walking has become an indispensable and sustainable way of travel for college students in their daily lives and improving the walkability of the college campus will increase the convenience of student life. This paper develops a new campus walkability assessment tool, which optimizes the Walk Score method based on the frequency, variety, and distance of students’ walking to and from public facilities. The campus Walk Score is the product of four components. A preliminary score is calculated through 13 types of facility weight and 3 types of cure of time-decay, and the final score also factors in intersection density and block length. We examine the old and new campuses of Tianjin University to test the tool’s application and evaluate the rationality of facility layout and walkability, and to give suggestions for improvement. The results show that the old campus’ multi-center layout has a high degree of walkability, while the centralized layout of the new campus results in lower walkability. In addition, the diversified distribution of facilities surrounding the old campus promotes the walkability of peripheral places. This assessment tool can help urban planners and campus designers make decisions about how to adjust the facility layout of existing campuses in different regions or to evaluate the campus schemes based on the results of their walkability assessment.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhehao Zhang & Thomas Fisher & Gang Feng, 2020. "Assessing the Rationality and Walkability of Campus Layouts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-21, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:23:p:10116-:d:455918
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yue Yang & Yongsheng Qian & Junwei Zeng & Xuting Wei & Minan Yang, 2023. "Walkability Measurement of 15-Minute Community Life Circle in Shanghai," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, January.
    2. Bojing Liao & Yifan Xu & Xiang Li & Ji Li, 2022. "Association between Campus Walkability and Affective Walking Experience, and the Mediating Role of Walking Attitude," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, November.
    3. Jing Yang & Yuqiu Wu & Xuemei Chen & Binjie Luo & Ran Wu & Rong Lin, 2025. "Evaluation of Walkability Index for Embedded Community Services from an Age-Friendly Perspective: A Case Study of Mapple Community in Chengdu, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-23, June.
    4. Te Mu & Yanqing Lao, 2022. "A Study on the Walkability of Zijingang East Campus of Zhejiang University: Based on Network Distance Walk Score," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Zhehao Zhang & Thomas Fisher & Haiming Wang, 2023. "Walk Score, Environmental Quality and Walking in a Campus Setting," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-19, March.
    6. Zhang, Zhehao & Wang, Haiming & Fisher, Thomas, 2024. "The development, validation, and application of the campus walk score measurement system," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 40-54.

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