Active design by Sport England is about encouraging activity through the way we design and build our towns and cities.
It's a combination of 10 principles that can help unlock opportunities and promote more active communities.
Activity for all is our leading principle and runs through everything we do. By taking a universal design approach; neighbourhoods, facilities and open spaces become more accessible and welcoming to everyone.
It means that those who are already active stay that way and encourages inactive people to get active.
Making communities easier to get around can encourage us to be more active.
All the spaces and facilities we use every day should be within easy reach of each other.
Walkable communities with wider pavements or converted canal toe paths and disused rail tracks can provide space for walking rest and play.
Just under a quarter of journeys are currently made on foot or by bike.
Getting around could be safer and easier with a clear and simple network of connected walking and cycle routes.
Prioritising access for journeys on foot, in wheelchairs or by pedal power would allow us to leave those car keys behind more often.
Many shoppers tend to combine visits to a food store with other activities. By co-locating facilities and bringing the community closer together, people can start making their journeys really count.
Nowadays only a fifth of children play outdoors compared to almost three-quarters of their parents when they were young.
A network of open spaces that can be used for all types of activities will open up opportunities for activity and boost the local community.
Reasons why people don't walk as much as they might, include a lack of quality signs and poor lighting in a particular street or area.
If streets and spaces are well-lit and clearly signposted, they’re more likely to be seen as safe and attractive to use.
A lack of public toilets often discourages people from using community spaces.
Appropriate infrastructure is vital to support all kinds of physical activity, from showers at work to safe bike parks for cyclists, people will be more likely to get active if they know the facilities are there to help them.
And we can create active buildings to promote physical activity, too.
This could be done by transforming new or existing buildings, by creating standing desks or by bringing stairs closer to the entrance, before you reach that lift.
Everything designed and built should be fit for the future.
That's why management, maintenance, monitoring and evaluation is vital to showing what works to get all of us active and it isn't just about physical changes to the places we live, either.
Active Design is also about inspiring people to get active to promotion and local champions
Volunteers, technology and social media will help to increase the number of people taking part now and in the future.
Active Design, making sport and activity an easy choice for everyone.
The 10 principles of active design – categorised into three sections:
- Awareness (icons such as award cup)
- Accessibility (icons such disability sign)
- Amenity (icons demonstrating biking, water and other facilities)
Link: http://www.sportengland.org/activedesign
Logos:
