Spatial sustainability in cities: Organic patterns and sustainable forms
October 31, 2025Community design, street networks, and public health
October 31, 2025Research Article
Urban nuclei and the geometry of streets: The ‘emergent neighborhoods’ model
By Mehaffy, M., Porta, S., Rofe, Y., & Salingaros, N.
Full Citation
Mehaffy, M., Porta, S., Rofe, Y., & Salingaros, N. (2010). Urban nuclei and the geometry of streets: The ‘emergent neighborhoods’ model. Urban Design International, 15, 22-46.
Key Findings
This paper assesses the debate about neighborhood structure and concludes that the scale of streets and paths is critical, requiring a permeable network of through streets of no more than 400 meters (1,300 feet) length in any direction. Pedestrian pathways can be at a finer scale, and neighborhood centers can self-organize on this street framework.