February 24, 2017 | FitCity Miami WHAT IS ACTIVE DESIGN? - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

DESIGN & POLICY STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

February 24, 2017 | FitCity Miami

Photo: Sandy DeWitt

WHAT IS ACTIVE DESIGN?

• Evidence-based design & policy

strategies to support health

• Concept originated with NYC’s Active

Design Guidelines

Photo: Robin Hill Photography

COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

• Funded by the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention

• Led by MCAD, AIA Miami, and

Florida Department of Health

• Guidance from multi-

disciplinary Advisory Council

Photo: Robin Hill Photography

ACTIVE DESIGN MIAMI

• Specifically tailored to Miami-Dade’s unique

environment and diverse population

• Embraces local initiatives and priorities
• Responds to unique opportunities and

challenges

WHY ACTIVE DESIGN MATTERS

• The built environment influences our

behavior—and our health

• Design is an indispensable tool for shaping

healthier communities

Photo: Robin Hill Photography

• 36% of Miami-Dade High Schoolers engage in

regular physical activity.

• 1/3 of Miami-Dade adults are sedentary.
• 2/3 of Miami-Dade Seniors were treated for

hypertension in 2014.

Access through: Miami-Dade Matters, Measurement period 2015, update July 2016

WHY ACTIVE DESIGN MATTERS

• 28% of Miami Dade Seniors were treated for

depression in 2014.

• 77% of Miami-Dade worker >16 drive to work,

with an average commute of 30 minutes.

• 48.6% drive alone for more than 30 minutes.

Access through: Miami-Dade Matters, Measurement period 2015, update July 2016

WHY ACTIVE DESIGN MATTERS

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & SOCIAL SUPPORT

Parks “directly promote physical activity, and indirectly mitigate stress via the spaces’ positive impact on social support.”

• Y. Fan, KV Das, Q. Chen (2011), “Neighborhood green, social support, physical activity, and stress:

assessing the cumulative impact.” Health & Place, Nov;17(6):1202-11.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & SOCIAL SUPPORT

Dog walkers who perceived greater social support, . . . and who had access to a dog- supportive park within their neighborhood, were more likely to regularly walk with their dog, even after adjustment for other well- known correlates of physical activity.

Hayley Christian (nee Cutt), Billie Giles-Corti, Matthew Knuiman, (2010) “’I’m Just a’-Walking the Dog’: Correlates of Regular Dog Walking,” Family & Community Health, 33(1)JanMar:44-52.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & SOCIAL SUPPORT

Children living near “esthetically pleasing” parks with few team sports installations that emphasize unstructured activities reported: ▪ more 15-minute bouts of physical activity per week, ▪ greater variety of physical activity, and ▪ had less percentage of truncal fat.

Madeleine Bird, Geetanjali D. Datta, Andraea van Hulst, Marie-Soleil Cloutier, Mélanie Henderson, Tracie A. Barnett, “A park typology in the QUALITY cohort: Implications for physical activity and truncal fat among youth at risk of obesity, Preventive Medicine, Vol.90, September 2016:133–138.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & SOCIAL SUPPORT

An urban greenway trail designed to enhance connectivity of pedestrian infrastructure with nearby retail establishments and schools, showed significant changes between the experimental and control neighborhoods for total physical activity and cycling.

Eugene C. Fitzhugh, David R. Bassett Jr., Mary F. Evans (2010). .”Urban trails and physical activity: a natural experiment.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 39 (3).

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• 1. Physical, mental, and social health are

interconnected

• 2. Safety is a critical priority
• 3. Inclusive and equitable design serves

everyone

• 4. Knowledge and information sharing
• 5. Sustainability is integral

Photo: James Corner Field Operation

FOUR AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY

Parks & Open Spaces Development Patterns Transportation & Mobility Buildings

SAMPLE STRATEGIES Design, Policy, and Programming Solutions

Photo: Sandy DeWitt

PARKS & OPEN SPACES

SAMPLE STRATEGIES

• Be inclusive—accommodate all ages and

abilities

• Incorporate amenities to support user

comfort—lighting, shade, water fountains, seating

• Facilitate waterfront activation through

design guidelines and codes

• Respond to local needs and cultural

preferences

Photo: Isabella Bru

DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS

SAMPLE STRATEGIES

• Support a diverse mix of land uses
• Provide transit-oriented development at

appropriate densities

• Emphasize pedestrian connectivity

Left: Irvans Augustin

TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY

SAMPLE STRATEGIES

• Implement Complete Streets policies
• Prioritize the pedestrian experience—wide

sidewalks, safe crosswalks, shade, seating, visual interest

• Install temporary demonstration projects to

raise awareness, measure impacts, and gather community input

Photo: Miami-Dade Transportation and Public Works - Ryan Holloway, Armando Rodriguez, and Bobbie Crichton

BUILDINGS

SAMPLE STRATEGIES

• Celebrate stairs—visibility, accessibility,

aesthetic appeal

• Install signs that encourage healthy behaviors
• Facilitate on-site physical activity—exercise

facilities, gardens, showers

• Enhance access to healthy food and drinking

water

Photo: Michael Moran | OTTO

HOW TO USE THESE STRATEGIES

• Inform specific design projects
• Shape local policies and plans
• Support thought leadership
• Inspire community action

Photo: Maggie Fernandez

ACTIVE DESIGN MIAMI IS FOR EVERYONE!

• Not one size fits all
• Use the strategies that best fit your

needs and your community’s priorities

Photo: Urban Paradise Guild | Debbie Skaggs

Photo: Sandy DeWitt

This presentation was supported by the Grant or Cooperative Agreement Number, 1U58DP005957-01, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and

• Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and

do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.

THANK YOU! Download full publication at activedesignmiami.org

Photo: Sandy DeWitt