The Science of Walkable Cities | Craig Lewis | TEDxUNCCharlotte
NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker's personal views and understanding of urban planning, the brain and behavior. Several claims have not been tested experimentally and currently lack scientific support. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdfWalking has numerous benefits– and yet so many American cities are not designed to be walkable. By unpacking the science behind walkable cities, Craig Lewis shares factors that impact how we interact with urban environments. When we consider the science, we not only can turn an ignored alley into a place where warm memories can be created, but we can also be better, happier people. Craig Lewis is Placemaking Practice Group Manager at Arcadis, managing planning, landscape architecture, mobility, and urban design studios across the US and Mexico. For more than 30 years, he has used an inter-disciplinary approach to plan and implement the growth and regeneration of urban places across the globe that are more livable, equitable, and sustainable. As a practitioner and researcher, he has been studying how the physical characteristics of places affect our mental and physical well-being across a wide range of contexts– from global cities to local main streets. Pulling data from a variety of sources, Lewis works with clients around the world to create places of enduring economic and emotional value.He lives in Davidson, NC where he and his wife have raised 4 children to appreciate the beauty in great urban places and the value of walking. He recently completed his second term as the chair of the Design Review Board for the Town of Davidson. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 24:37Leading with Purpose:Transforming Education for a Changing India | Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal | TEDxBBAUIn this visionary TEDx talk, Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal, Vice Chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), addresses the urgent need to transform India's educational framework in a time of rapid social, economic, and technological change.With decades of academic leadership, Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal highlights how purpose-driven education must go beyond degrees — empowering youth to become ethical, innovative, and resilient contributors to national growth. He calls for a system that nurtures curiosity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence — equipping students not just for jobs, but for leadership in a dynamic world.This talk is a must-watch for educators, students, policymakers, and all those who believe in the power of purposeful learning to build a better India.TEDxBBAU is organised by Lakhan Varshney (Organiser) , Aditya Kumar Bharti (Co-Organiser) and Divyanshi Vishwakarma (Production), the core team members behind TEDxBBAU 2025.Lakhan's Profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/lakhanvarshneyAditya's Profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/adityakumarbharti Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal is the Vice Chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, with over 35 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. He holds a Ph.D., M.Phil., M.A. (Economics), MBA, and B.Com., and has previously served as Vice Chancellor at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, and Maharishi Valmiki Sanskrit University.He has held senior academic roles at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, including Professor, Dean, and Director-Development. Prof. Mittal has published 120+ research papers, supervised 21 Ph.D. scholars, and guided 150+ MBA students.Awarded the IEEE Lifetime Achievement Award and Best Teacher Award, his interests include entrepreneurship, NEP-2020, and promoting Indian knowledge systems in education. He has completed five major research projects and participated in academic visits to the USA, Japan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 17:30Planea con estrategia, actúa con propósito, inspira con pasión | Marco Pérez | TEDxAnahuacUniversityMarco Antonio Pérez toma el escenario de las TEDx Anáhuac University organizadas por Vértice, el Programa de Excelencia Anáhuac y nos invita a ver la vida como una historia significativa, en la que cada caída puede ser parte de un renacer. Al aceptar nuestras sombras, formar a otros y actuar con propósito, podemos construir un legado auténtico y convertirnos en héroes de nuestra propia historia. Asesor de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo. Él nos dice "Planea con estrategia, actúa con propósito, inspira con pasión". This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx