IAS Seminar: Rethinking Urban Mobility Through the Lens of Human Experience

IAS Guest Speaker Dr Everardt Burger delivers a seminar on their research -

Urban transport infrastructure is typically planned and evaluated through technical performance measures such as efficiency, capacity, and operational reliability. Yet the real-world success of mobility systems depends fundamentally on how people experience, interpret, and use them in everyday life. This talk introduces a human-centred perspective on urban infrastructure that places user behaviour and spatial accessibility at the core of transport planning.

Drawing on empirical research across South African cities, including studies of mode choice, commuter satisfaction, pedestrian accessibility, and infrastructure utilisation, the presentation shows how mobility environments operate as socio-technical systems shaped by perception, decision-making, and spatial connectivity. Rather than viewing infrastructure as static provision, the talk explores how design, accessibility, and behavioural response interact to produce system performance.

The session proposes an integrative framework for understanding mobility infrastructure through user experience and spatial function, and reflects on the implications for planning more responsive, inclusive, and effective urban transport systems.

Arrivals from 11.45am for a 12pm start. For those joining in-person, lunch will be served after the seminar from 1pm.