Why is walking joyful?

Why do we still understand so little about walking, despite it being the most fundamental form of transport? How does the built environment shape not just how we move, but how we feel? And what would it mean to plan cities not just for efficiency, but for joy?

In this episode, we explore the connection between transport, public health, and urban design with Kelly Clifton, professor at the University of British Columbia. Her work focuses on travel behavior, walking, and the ways in which the built environment influences both mobility and well-being.

We discuss how urban form shapes both movement and mood, why walking should be understood as more than just a functional mode of travel, and which role new forms of micromobility can play.

More about our guest:

http://kellyjclifton.com

Music recommendation of the episode:

“Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder