Walk This Way
No path? No problem. The desire lines in this Dutch photo essay prove that people are quite comfortable going their own way.
Shortcuts are nothing new, but most folks are too busy absentmindedly following—or initiating—them to stop and truly notice the way these trails regrid the pedestrian landscape. Dutch photographer Jan-Dirk van der Burg spent four years capturing the evocatively dubbed olifantenpaadjes—literally “elephant paths”—all over the Netherlands. The results provide a droll glimpse into a most basic animal instinct: to conveniently close the gap from here to there.
"Kantoorpaadje," Pietersbergweg, Amsterdam. Distance saved: 10 feet.
"Zoetermeer3," Bredewater, Amsterdam. Distance saved: 18 feet.
"Olifant Achmea," Molenwerf, Amsterdam. Distance saved: 100 feet.
Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!
Article
-
Off the Beaten Path
A dramatic departure from your typical cabin on the lake, this unique retreat adds shades of black to a tiny island awash with local color.
Products
-
Eames Elephant
Charles and Ray Eames designed this elephant in 1945. The complex process required for molding the plywood pieces was prohibitive, however, and the elephant never made it past the prototype stage…
-
Origami Elephant Wall Decal
Want to add a touch of fun to your kids room decor without committing to paint or wallpaper? Decals are a great way to go. Easy to apply and easy to remove, these matte finish fabric elephants…
-
Uno Mod
Uno's been around since the early 1970s, and the simple card game never seems to lose its appeal. The classic design just got a graphic update with the recently released Uno Mod, which comes in a…
Dwell Collection
-
DC Embassy Walking Tour
Embassy Row along Massachusetts Avenue NW is one of the great architectural and cultural treats of Washington DC. Newly constructed embassies mingle with the brick colonials that give the city…
Events
-
Walking Tour: Cape Cod Modern Architecture
Visit the Cape Cod National Seashore to view the Modernist cottages. A chartered bus provides transportation for an exclusive tour by architect Peter McMahon, principal of PM Design, a firm…
-
SOHO/Tribeca Design Walk
ASID NY metro chapter cordially invites you to attend the SOHO/Tribeca Design Walk. New York’s favorite showrooms will be offering exclusive events October 2-3, 2009. Event hours will…
-
Ten Walks/Two Talks performance
Andy Fitch and Jon Cotner are having three performances for their book Ten Walks/Two Talks in the Bay Area. The book combines a series of sixty-minute, sixty-sentence walks around Manhattan with a…
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Related Products
-
Eames Elephant
by Ray EamesCharles and Ray Eames designed this elephant…
-
Origami Elephant Wall Decal
by Tea CollectionWant to add a touch of fun to your kids room…
-
Uno Mod
Uno's been around since the early 1970s, and…
Latest
-
05.24
10 Design Insiders Sound Off on Knockoffs
In researching the much-discussed essay "The Real Cost of…
-
05.24
Elements by William Kaven
So often the architectural press gets caught up in the look of…
-
05.24
ICFF 2012: Offsite Design Exhibitions
Each spring, New York Design Week gets bigger and better…
Follow
Dwell
Reloading tweets…
And you only posted 4 photos?
I love desire lines! People like to flow, not turn at right angles. There's some interesting writing about the subject in Critical Mass by Phillip Ball.
I love desire lines! People like to flow, not turn at right angles. There's some interesting writing about the subject in Critical Mass by Phillip Ball.
There's lots of potential for research and more design to happen here . . . what effect do plantings and trees have on people's natural paths? How much space do people naturally leave around different kinds of obstacles? Does it vary by culture or region? It would also be fascinating to try to design a park that encourages paths to develop by the placement of objects or entrances but doesn't delineate them otherwise . . .
RSS Feed
Add a Comment