How to design a city for women (and not just for the “standard man”)

Most of us live in cities that still reflect the ideas and values of the 20th century. Even though today’s city planners and mayors are increasingly diverse, the ideals shaping cities remain rooted in the thinking of the past century. Because cities reflect those who designed and built them, their spaces, services, and systems are still “set up” around the needs of the average man. His perspective continues to determine how cities function and how people use them.

If you look around, you’ll find that inequality is not just in people’s minds. It is carved into the streets, buildings, and systems that surround us. Today, it is often further reinforced by digital technologies. For example, public transport fare systems often favor the traditional commuter traveling back and forth and disadvantage those who make multiple consecutive trips. Because women still largely take on household and care responsibilities, they make these “chained” trips more often—and often end up paying more for them.

Algorithms that discriminate

Digital technologies are not automatically better than their predecessors. Facial recognition algorithms make mistakes: they often misidentify non-white and non-male faces. In 2018, researchers from the MIT Media Lab tested commercial facial recognition systems (IBM, Microsoft, Face++, Amazon) and found significant differences in error rates depending on gender and skin color. The study showed that the algorithm made mistakes in only 0.8% of light-skinned men, but in up to 34.7% of dark-skinned women. Technologies can therefore not only “monitor” public spaces, but also embed discriminatory biases within them.

And what is the solution? Standards should be designed inclusively from the start, so that spaces, services, and systems are fair for everyone—regardless of gender, skin color, or social status. Only then can we live in cities that truly work for all.

In the city as at home

Fear of violence and crime in public spaces is cited as one of the most significant factors discouraging people from spending time in public areas and engaging in outdoor activities. Workplaces that do not provide safe bicycle storage also lead people to avoid cycling to work, even when it would otherwise be a practical option.

Women in the 21st century still have to fight for their rights

The accessibility and quality of opportunities that help all of us feel at home in the city can be improved through a range of measures: from designing dedicated, well-connected pedestrian and cycling routes to creating attractive public spaces that encourage people to spend time outdoors.

High-quality lighting of pedestrian routes can increase their use by up to 38% compared to unlit routes. The same applies to cycling paths, where lighting can increase usage by up to 62%. These findings again confirm how crucial the feeling of safety is in encouraging people to remain in public space.

More, for example, in our video on gender justice in our cities.

Designing inclusive standards

These problems do not concern only women. They affect everyone who does not fit into a narrow idea of the “norm.” These people often live in cities that do not fully work for them. This includes children, older adults, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, people of different ethnic backgrounds, and many others who must adjust their daily routines and plans in order to fit in. And when their needs are finally taken into account, it is often presented as something that concerns only a minority. In reality, these groups together make up the majority. To design modern cities, we must understand their everyday experiences.

We can and must challenge the idea of “normality” and build inclusive cities for everyone. Through ethnographic and user research, we can move beyond assumptions and obtain real data about what people actually need from urban public space. Starting from people—their needs, values, and ways of life—opens the door to meaningful change.

The key is to talk to people, listen to them, observe them, and involve them in the design process through careful qualitative and quantitative research. Without this, it is not possible to truly understand what people need or how to create cities that work for everyone.

Gender and public transport: Why “one size fits all” is not enough

Public transport is still largely designed around the needs of the “average man.” Women, children, older people, and those with specific needs are often required to adapt to systems that do not work well for them.
The research by ARUP in collaboration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland confirmed that:

• women are more likely to make so-called “trip-chaining” journeys (multiple consecutive trips), which increases costs and stress;
• safety is crucial – many women feel unsafe while waiting at stops or walking home;
• flexibility and inclusion should be core principles of transport design;
• sustainable behaviour change is only possible when transport systems reflect the real needs of users.

So-called gender-sensitive transport design is not a “luxury,” but a necessity for a safe, efficient, and fair city. And it is not only women who appreciate it more than chocolates and carnations on International Women’s Day. For an example of something that is already realistically achievable, you can look at Vienna. In its public space, it consistently applies a strategy of gender mainstreaming, i.e. balancing structures, settings, and conditions for women and men.

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