Munich, Zurich and Curitiba have slowed down and deterred automobile travel in residential neighborhoods through physical design changes. An overarching design philosophy of most transit metropolises is that cities are for people, not cars. High quality transit is viewed as consonant with this philosophy. In Copenhagen, Munich and Curitiba , large parts of the historical core have been given over to pedestrians. In all of the European case study cities, trams and light rail vehicles blend nicely with auto-free zones.
Urban design is every bit as important outside central cities.
In the suburbs of Copenhagen and Stockholm , transit stations are treated as community hubs. Rail stations and the public spaces that surround them are often places where people congregate. Many civic squares double up as open-air farmers markets and venues for concerts. Street furniture, greenery, urban art and water fountains add comfort and visual aesthetics. Through conscious design, transit is both physically and symbolically at the community's core.