Prepared by Elizabeth Christoforetti

Scope of Analysis

Planners, policy makers and designers are successfully measuring economic relationships and urban mobility at the scale of census tracts and municipal boundaries, and energy performance at the scale of the building; but metrics on the activity levels and effective performance of urban places at the scale of an urban block — the scale at which humans experience urban environments — are missing.

This research aims to complement our intuitive perceptions of local performance by quantifying the activity levels and patterns of urban places over time and across location. For example, we do not have objective standards to gauge the “stickiness” or friction of a place, though we understand that there is some correlation between slow pedestrian movement and local economic success. With some testing, it may be possible to measure the “socialness of a space” and perceived safety based upon pedestrian grouping and speed; and to better gauge the relationship between new uses or real estate developments and public realm activation.

This case study is focused upon generating more effective feedback loops between urban design analysis, public realm interventions, and their effect in urban places. The Downtown Crossing pedestrian mall will become a local laboratory in which the team will engage sensors and granular data sources to gauge the effect of a street programming and management tests along Washington Street in Downtown Boston.

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Data Sources

• PlaceMeter (and/or other sensors dealing with movement and activity levels)
• Vibration sensors
• Noise sensors
• Door sensors
• MBTA real-time transit feeds