Jeff Speck’s TED Talk on The Walkable City

City planner, architectural designer, and longtime AAF partner, Jeff Speck AICP, CNU-A, LEED-AP, Hon. ASLA, discusses walkable cities from economic, health, and design perspectives in this TED talk, highlighting that walkable cities improve the quality of life for residents, making them attractive places where people want to be.

Speck is a national and international advocate for sustainable design and smart growth. He is a Former National Endowment for the Arts Director of Design and the co-author of Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream (2010) as well as The Smart Growth Manual (2009).

Image courtesy of Derrick Jefferson.

In his new book, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time (2012), Speck explores the fundamental link between walkability and urban vibrancy.  According to AAF President and CEO Ron Bogle, “With Walkable City, Jeff Speck demonstrates why he is among the most relevant and engaging writers on urban design today.”

To hear more about his newest book, walkability, and how to create pedestrians by choice, listen to the NPR Weekend Edition interview with Jeff Speck.

Featured image courtesy of W.D. Vanlue.