Addressing traffic congestion requires a human-centred approach, with a better understanding of local culture, challenges, stakeholders, and behaviours.
Addressing traffic congestion requires a human-centred approach, with a better understanding of local culture, challenges, stakeholders, and behaviours.
Megacity
City with 10 million+ residents
Fuelled by the desire for a better quality of life (whether due to poverty, rural unemployment, conflict), people are flooding into urban areas at an unprecedented rate. Rapid urbanization may help lift standards of living, but it also puts a tremendous strain on city services, such as housing, education, health care and transportation.
One of the fastest growing cities in the world with a population of 14 million, Istanbul was not created with modern transport in mind, and its infrastructure is unable to keep up with the demands of a growing population, estimated to reach an unsustainable 20-22 million by 2020. This megacity is the third most congested, after Mexico and Bangkok, with a 50% increase in travel times when compared to free flow traffic (TomTom’s 2016 Traffic Index).
The causes of traffic congestion in Istanbul are numerous and include poorly planned roadways and transportation systems, poorly timed traffic signals, insufficient traffic system coordination, traffic accidents, special events (ex: concerts, festivals), and the unexploited use of Istanbul’s seaways and sea transportation.
According to Prof. Dr. Murat Çelik of Istanbul Technical University, traffic congestion costs Istanbul more than 3 billion Turkish Liras per year due to loss of labour and excess fuel consumption, just about equal to Turkey’s GDP.
Reducing traffic congestion would address various targets set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to improve air quality, a major health problem in most megacities.
Forty participants including local academics, industrial designers, architects, and representatives from non-governmental organizations gathered in Istanbul on 24 June 2016 for World Design Talks Traffic Congestion. Using a design perspective, they addressed the crux of the problem in the short, mid- and long-term. They explored sustainable and public transportation alternatives, including improvements to the dolmuş (pronounced “dole-moosh”), a responsive mini bus, which is locally generated, flexible, and demand-driven. They discussed behaviour changing campaigns, digital technologies and signage to better navigate traffic, as well as improved use of the seaways, pedestrian accommodations, and bicycle systems.
Short-term solutions
Mid-term solutions
Long-term solutions
Involve designers in the management and planning of an integrated transportation system. Designers have a unique mindset for solving problems that is distinct from traditional methods of urban planning, industrial design places the needs and experiences of human beings first when designing out traffic congestion.
We are looking to a wider design community and other likeminded organizations concerned with this issue to help us tackle this problem as World Design Talks Traffic Congestion goes online. We welcome your research, experience, insights and ideas.
Dr. H. Murat Celik
Izmir Institute of Technology
Ms. Arzu H. Toker Özkurt
Otokar A.Ş.
Selva Gürdoğan Thomsen
Superpool
World Design Talks is grateful for the support of the Turkish Federation of Furniture Business Associations (MOSFED). We also acknowledge and appreciate the expertise shared by our featured guest speakers Prof. Dr. Murat Çelik of Istanbul Technical University; Ms. Arzu H. Toker Özkurt, Senior Industrial Design Expert at Otokar Otomotiv; and Ms. Selva Gürdoğan Thomsen of Superpool. Thanks to ATÖLYE, a creative co-working space in Istanbul that helped to fuel the creativity of our 40 participants. Special thanks to Icsid board member Alpay Er, Head of the Industrial Design Department at Istanbul’s Ozyeğin University/Istanbul Institute of Design, who hosted and organized the day-long World Design Talks.
World Design Talks Traffic Congestion Report
Istanbul, Turkey | 24 June 2016 | 11 pages | PDF – 1.9MB
World Design Talks Traffic Congestion – 12 Solutions for Designing Out Traffic – At a Glance
Istanbul, Turkey | 24 October 2016 | 5 pages | PDF – 2.9MB