DEFINITION
Woonerf is the Dutch name for a "living street" in which the needs of car drivers are secondary to the needs of users of the street as a whole. It is a "shared space" designed to be used by pedestrians, playing children, bicyclists, and low-speed motor vehicles, becoming a public place for people instead of single-purpose conduits for automobiles. In a woonerf, vehicles may not impede pedestrians, who in turn may not unreasonably hinder the progress of drivers.
There are five criteria: "... gateways that announce that one has entered the woonerf; curves to slow vehicle traffic; amenities such as trees and play equipment that serve the dual purpose of forcing vehicles to slow down; no curbs; and intermittent parking so that cars do not form a wall of steel between the roadway and houses."
(Source: Donald Appleyard. (1981). Liveable Streets)

AKA
Winkelerf, Home Zone, Living Yard, Living Street, Silent Street, Shared Street, Shared Space, DIY Streets

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

• Changes in priority. Drivers have to give way to pedestrians and cyclists, and are responsible for any injuries they cause to them (drivers are automatically at fault).
• Very low speed limits. Top speeds of 10 mph (30 Km/h) or less.
  
• Narrow streets, often curved or circular and one-way.
  
• An emphasis on the change in status, through changes in pavement/color, signing, traffic calming, seating and other street furniture and plants. In some streets, parking is rearranged to make better use of space, especially if the residents are part of a 'street fleet' or community car sharing scheme.
• Residents need to be in favor, and must be involved in the design stages.

ILLUSTRATION


Woonerf in Rijswijk, The Netherlands



http://flickr.com/photos/joelmann/755254658/


via flickr Mike "Machine" rodnroll

CASE STUDIES
Woonerf - Terry Avenue, Seattle

VIDEO

Shared Space

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
http://www.students.bucknell.edu/projects/trafficcalming/History/Int'l.html
WorldChanging.com article about 'Shared Space' by Erica C. Barnett
Streetless in Seattle, article in Metropolis
Dylan Passmore "Evolving Streets: Contemporary Approaches to Road Design"
Traffic Calming in the Netherlands
Nice woonerf article from Land+Living
Designing for Disabilities in Home Zones (England)