Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

What’s Your City’s Ratio of Places to Non-Places?

 Andrew Price used a sunburn map to highlight the places (blue) and "non-places" (red) in downtown Phoenix. Image: Strong Towns

Here's a really interesting way to look at cities. Andrew Price at Strong Towns has developed a graphically compelling way to break down developed areas into what he calls "places" and "non-places."

He explains:

Places are for people. Places are destinations. Whether it is a place to sleep, a place to shop, a place of employment, or simply a place to relax - it has a purpose and adds a destination to the city. Building interiors are the most common form of Places found in cities. Examples of outdoor Places include;

  • Parks and gardens
  • Plazas
  • Human-oriented streets

Non-Places are the padding between destinations. Examples of Non-Places include:

  • Roads
  • Freeways
  • Parking Lots
  • Greenspace

Price has developed a method that instantly conveys the ratio of places to non-places. Below he compares part of San Francisco to a suburban area of Little Rock.

Price used a sunburn map to show the "places" in blue and the "non places" in red. Image: Strong Towns Image: Strong Towns
false

This area of San Francisco, Price says, has a place to non-place ratio of 4.25:1 (81% place).

Now, for suburban Little Rock.

Image: Strong Towns Image: Strong Towns
false

This area has a place to non-place ratio of 0.08:1 (8.5% place).

Price writes:

In the above example, 10.5 times more land is dedicated to Non-Places than Places! Is this even a financially viable way to build a city? No.

Compare those examples and ask yourself -- which one is more walkable (the topic of my National Gathering presentation)? Which one is getting their money's worth out of their infrastructure?

Elsewhere on the Network today: Peninsula Transportation explains why a Silicon Valley developer prefers to offer tenants transit passes, not parking spaces. (Spoiler: It's a whole lot cheaper.) And The Dallas Morning News' Transportation Blog reports that as protests have erupted over a proposed new toll road, the North Central Texas Council of Governments has come under fire for potentially inflating traffic projections.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: Are We All Living in a ‘Carspiracy’?

How does "car-brain" shape the way we think about the world — even in relatively bike-friendly countries like the U.K.?

July 26, 2024

Friday’s Headlines Share and Share Alike

Bikeshares, and e-bikes and scooters generally, are becoming more popular. That's led to more injuries, highlighting the need for better infrastructure.

July 26, 2024

What the Heck is Going on With the California E-Bike Incentive Program?

The program's launch has been delayed for two years, and currently "there is no specific timeline" for it. Plus the administrator, Pedal Ahead, is getting dragged, but details are vague.

July 26, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Have Cities Run Out of Land?

Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona on why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth.

July 25, 2024

The Paris Plan for Olympic Traffic? Build More Bike Lanes

A push to make Paris fully bikable for the Olympics is already paying dividends long before the opening ceremonies.

July 25, 2024
See all posts