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