FROM CAR-CENTRIC TO PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY CITY

The historic city of Dusseldorf in Germany has shown that better, more liveable cities can be built – and that highways are a fixable mistake.

The graphic below shows 2 photos of a highway in Dusseldorf. The first photo is from 1990, showing a multi-lane highway curving down the waterfront. The image is grey and bleak. The second photo, in comparison, shows a bright and sunny 2019 shot of the same area, except now the highway is replaced with a large park.

The image from 1990 shows a hostile environment where people cannot cross. It sends the message that people are not welcome, only their cars. The 2019 photo, however, shows a welcoming space where people are strolling along promenades and lying in the grass, enjoying the weather and socialising with their fellow city dwellers.

The comparison shows proof that we can fix our mistakes and that the future will be brighter for it. When cities put people first, everyone wins.

– edited extracts from The Cool Down