The perceived importance of urban design qualities for walkability in Czech city centres: An expert-based assessment

Lenka Paszová; Ondřej Slach; Vojtěch Bosák; Alexandr Nováček; Aura-Luciana Istrate

doi:10.2478/mgr-2026-0009

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The perceived importance of urban design qualities for walkability in Czech city centres: An expert-based assessment

Moravian Geographical Reports

Volume 34 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)

By: Lenka Paszová , Ondřej Slach , Vojtěch Bosák , Alexandr Nováček and Aura-Luciana Istrate

Open Access

|Jun 2026

Abstract

Walkability is essential for promoting sustainable mobility, public health, and urban vitality in cities. This article examines the perceived importance of urban design qualities (UDQ) on walkability in Czech city centres. Based on expert ratings in questionnaires (n = 46) and a follow-up workshop (n = 8), the study provides an expert-weighted framework for planning institutions. The research determined that according to experts, the two most significant UDQ are Tidiness (19.7%) and Safety & Sensations (19.2%). This result, where UDQs such as Complexity and Imageability were lower ranked, contrasts with findings in Western countries and confirms that the importance of basic walking conditions (safety and maintenance) still persists in Czech city centres. The most important individual indicators that shape attractive walkable urban environments in the Czech Republic are Traffic Density & Speed, Street Furniture, the Condition of Buildings, Pavements and Vegetation. Based on this empirical evidence, insights relevant to the broader Central and Eastern Europe are discussed.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgr-2026-0009 | Journal eISSN: 2199-6202 | Journal ISSN: 1210-8812

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Language: English

Page range: 111 - 119

Submitted on: Nov 12, 2025

Accepted on: Jun 10, 2026

Published on: Jun 30, 2026

Published by: Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geonics

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

Urban design qualities,

walkability,

city centre,

Central and Eastern Europe,

Czech Republic

Related subjects:

Geosciences,

Geography

© 2026 Lenka Paszová, Ondřej Slach, Vojtěch Bosák, Alexandr Nováček, Aura-Luciana Istrate, published by Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geonics
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 34 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)