Walking the City as a Multisensory Experience: Microclimate and Soundscape Effects in Béjaïa

Cities today face multiple challenges related to unsustainable transport and an excessive reliance on motorized travel. These issues have led to problems at different levels, including air pollution, traffic congestion, and health concerns linked to physical inactivity, such as obesity. Walking offers a key solution to address these challenges and is fundamental to creating livable and healthy cities. However, most walkability studies still focus primarily on physical attributes, such as sidewalk width, permeability, and street connectivity, while often overlooking the importance of pedestrians’ sensory perception. Two dimensions are particularly important: microclimate and soundscape. This research presents two investigations conducted in Béjaïa, Algeria. The first explores the impact of microclimatic conditions on pedestrian perception and comfort; the second examines the influence of the soundscape on the walking experience in the city. Two contrasting study areas were selected: the old town of Béjaïa (the Medina), built before Algerian independence and characterized by a historic urban fabric, and the lower city, composed of modern and contemporary urban fabrics. This contribution therefore addresses the limitations of studies focused on isolated spaces by explicitly considering transitions between places and the multisensory nature of the walking experience.