The Plurality of Shared Space Design : Exploring the Influence on Road Users

Shared space design represents a departure from the mentality of the traditional approach to street design, which has long favoured motor vehicles at the expense of other modes of urban transport. Characterised by a continuous paved surface with minimal formal regulations and traffic controls, it is based on a concept that aims to promote a more inclusive and human-oriented environment, where different road users coexist and interact with each other. Through the creation of ambiguity and uncertainty, the design forces road users to slow down, be more attentive to their surroundings, and take responsibility for their interactions with others. Despite establishing a low-speed environment, vulnerable road users often dislike the idea of sharing space with motorised traffic, which further prevents them from fully embracing their freedom of movement. Therefore, the inclusion of a variety of design elements is responsible for defining shared and dedicated zones to foster more collaborative use of the street space. Road users’ movements are then not solely based on efficiency, but rather influenced by their perceptions of the design and traffic-related attributes. By exploring how different shared space designs and their context influence the behaviour and expectations of road users, the goal is to understand the relevance of the infrastructure design in distinct space configurations. Considering the critical aspect of empirically analysing behaviour, real shared space schemes in Germany were recorded to extract the trajectories of pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles navigating these environments. Space usage and speed were analysed and compared to evaluate the distribution of road users’ movement in different designs and the influence of a temporary design component, respectively a weekly farmers’ market. Although the distinct space configurations are capable of influencing how cyclists and pedestrians move and cross the space, the results reaffirm that the presence of motor vehicles has a greater impact on road users’ behaviour. Yet, with the presence of a farmers’ market, pedestrians become more dominant, prolonging and extending their movements in the space. Beyond analysing road users’ behaviour, this work also attempts to determine critical attributes that affect pedestrians and cyclists in different shared spaces. Using videos of virtual environments in an online survey, participants could experience various contexts of shared space design. Both groups of users indicate an aversion to sharing space with motor vehicles and recognise the importance of physical protection and central placement of design elements to create a friendlier environment. Ultimately, with the plural forms of shared space design, it is important to identify road users’ preferences as well as common design elements that can better accommodate and meet various needs. While providing evidence on how different road users navigate real schemes, this research contributes to rethinking shared space design. More than a tool to regulate behaviour, shared space is a way to enhance the place function of a street. As so, the results show that there are many opportunities to continue applying this concept while adapting the design to consistently attract, engage, and protect vulnerable road users in the space.