From Car-Centric to People-Centric: Developing Street Transformations Through Environmental and Community Involvement Approaches

Abstract

Car-centric urban planning has marginalised the social dimension of the streets and continues to cause various environmental and health issues. Cities have been developing strategies to address those challenges, transforming streets into public spaces that encourage active mobility. However, these efforts often lack participatory processes and heat mitigation strategies, both considered essential in such interventions. This paper proposes a methodology to address those issues, combining citizen science-based methods, such as thermal walks, and technical and administrative expertise. The four-phase participatory framework encompasses citizen engagement, data analysis, co-design of adaptation scenarios and their evaluation, combining the lived experience with the scientific knowledge and administrative considerations. The proposed approach provides inclusive and context-sensitive adaptation scenarios, enhancing both community acceptance and heat stress mitigation.