Active design

[2] Active design involves urban planners, architects, transportation engineers, public health professionals, community leaders and other professionals in building places that encourage physical activity as an integral part of life.

Phase one (2005) developed the three key active design objects of improving accessibility, enhancing amenity and increasing awareness ("the 3 A's").

In 2014, Sport England held a stakeholder session made up of a range of bodies and individuals including urban planning and public health professionals to discuss whether active design was still relevant in the current planning and health context, and they concluded that it was.

The guide was revised, retaining "the 3 A's" and refining the criteria-based approach to the ten principles of active design.

[14] The guidelines were also based on concerns about building longevity and ecological costs, which is generally known as "sustainable design".

[3][14] Four key concepts came out of this process:[2] From New York City the active design movement spread throughout the United States[18] and the world.

For example, active design in transportation supports a safe and vibrant environment for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders.

A study reported that staff moved into an active design building decreased the time spent sitting by 1.2 hours per day.

Some elements include widening sidewalks and crosswalks; installing traffic calming elements that slow driving speeds; making stairs that are accessible, visible, attractive, and well-lit; making recreation areas, such as parks, plazas, and playgrounds, more accessible by pedestrians and cyclists.