Applicability & Benefits

YouWalk-UOS and YouWalk-YouReclaim embrace a collaborative approach and are developed by Ashraf M. Salama and Madhavi Patil at the Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Northumbria at Newcastle, England.  They aim to advance the implementation of tools through technology-enabled open sources, and to empower users to actively evaluate urban open spaces, buildings and campus open spaces. Through detailed illustrated user manuals, visitors can gain a good understanding of how they can use the applications and how they can make the most out of their assessment experience. 

Acknowledgement

Conceived by Ashraf M. Salama

Inspired by tools developed in the early 1990’s by Henry Sanoff at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.

© 2023, Ashraf M. Salama and Madhavi P. Patil. 

YouWalk-UOS and YouWalk-YouReclaim mobile applications were made possible by an internal grant from the Faculty of  Engineering and Environment, University of Northumbria, Newcastle, England.

Applicability 

While our two free mobile applications YouWalk-UOS and YouWalk-YouReclaim are developed with specific contexts embedded in the apps, 

• YouWalk-UOS application can be used to assess any urban open space of users' interest and choice

• YouWalk-YouReclaim can be used to assess any campus environment or any building of users' interest and choice.

Benefits

For an engaged citizen

Citizens have an opportunity to voice their opinions and actively participate in co-assessing and improving buildings and urban spaces, enhancing civic agency by fostering their ownership and community involvement. The applications would enable citizens to generate results, based on the co-assessment process, which can facilitate informed decision making for the creation of more functional, comfortable and socially engaging buildings and urban environments. Co-assessment reveals findings on whether buildings and urban spaces work well, accommodate diverse needs, backgrounds, and preferences, and what could be done to improve them. 

For a professional architect or urban designer

Professionals gain an understanding of user preferences, which guide design processes in urban development and improvement, resulting in more informed and data-driven/evidence-based design decisions. Urban planners, architects, and designers can refine their designs of buildings, campus open spaces and urban open spaces based on direct user feedback, ensuring that their projects align with the needs, preferences, and expectations of the community.  By actively involving citizens in the assessment process, professionals can strengthen relationships with local communities, build trust, and enhance their social responsibility.

For an academic in architecture and urban design

Co-assessment data provides valuable insights for academic research, allowing scholars to analyse trends, patterns, and user behaviours in urban spaces for further investigation and comprehension. Incorporating real-world assessments into urban planning, architecture, and design curricula can expose students to user-centric design principles and provide students with authentic experiences. Collaboration between academics and application developers can result in innovative research while fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and the dissemination of knowledge.  Additionally, the applications can be utilised as pedagogical tools in classes related to cultural context, urban design, environmental evaluations, and history-theory of architecture and cities.

For municipalities, city councils, and decision-makers

By using the applications, decision-makers, such as city officials and policymakers can have access to valuable information on user preferences and needs, allowing them to make informed decisions regarding urban planning and resource allocation. Co-assessment applications encourage transparency and open communication between decision-makers and citizens, fostering accountability and narrowing the gap between public expectations and policy outcomes. Based on user feedback, decision-makers can implement targeted interventions and enhancements, resulting in more effective and relevant urban policies and interventions that address community needs, wants, and values.