pedestrian zones ; car free urban spaces

Cities and traffic are inseparably connected. Vehicles, goods, and people move almost incessantly through urban streets. At the same time, the quality of life offered by a modern city is measured in the amount of attractive traffic-free urban space for movement it can provide. Areas that are exclusively reserved to pedestrians play an important role in this context.
Originating from the necessity of creating oases in car-friendly cities, today's pedestrian zones shape the nature of our cities more than ever before. The modern variety is no longer confined to shopping streets in the classical sense but includes a great range of usage and design variations. The latest trends include whole quarters that are developed for pedestrian use, greened leisure areas integrated into the pedestrian zone, or concepts that enrich the traffic-free street space with art and culture. The case studies presented in this volume provide an overview of the multitude of possibilities offered by pedestrian areas and illustrate why they are considered to be the heart and soul of 21st century cities.