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48 Times City Architects Failed To Understand People’s Needs, And It Resulted In These ‘Desire Paths’ Appearing Around The City
Article created by: Gabija Palšytė
Merriam Webster dictionary defines a desire path as “an unplanned route or path (such as one worn into a grassy surface by repeated foot traffic) that is used by pedestrians in preference to or in the absence of a designated alternative (such as a paved pathway).”
This may sound like a pretty formal definition, but in its heart, desire paths show so much more than our daily shortcuts and preferred ways to reach destinations. They reflect routines, habits and presence of a living being, whether it’s a human or an animal. They stand like lines of traces carved well into dirt, grass, and anywhere, really.
There’s even this mesmerizing corner of Reddit, “Desire Paths,” “dedicated to the paths that humans prefer, rather than the paths that humans create.” Below we wrapped up some of the most interesting examples that capture our imagination.
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#6
Doggo Desire Path At A Local Off-Leash Park. Remember That Pavement Can Be Too Hot For Paws On A Sunny Day!
#10
I'm In A Long Distance Relationship With My Girlfriend, And This Is Where I Walk When I'm On The Phone With Her Every Night
#13
Found This As A Post On Facebook. Elephant Paths Anyone?
#14
Not Sure If This Is Allowed. Swimming Paths Made By A Moorhen On The Way To And From Its Nest
#15
The Sidewalks On My School’s Quad Are Not Symmetrical Because They Were Installed Based On Where The Grass Was Worn Out…
#17
My College Put Sod On The Path And Put Up A Sign. The Students Listened To The Sign And Created A Path Next To The Sod
#25
The World’s (Actual) Greatest Desire Path! He Carved A Road Through A Mountain Over 22yrs To Shorten The Distance From His Village To The Nearest Hospital From 70km To 1km
#30
At The Student Residence. I Tried To Walk The Intended Path For Once. It Was Long
#34
Does This Count? A Footpath So Badly Constructed Nobody Wants To Use It
#35
Was Told To Post This Here, So Here I Am Posting This Here
#40
This Desire Path Has Slowly Disappeared Now That No One Is Coming To The Office Due To Covid... Wonder How Many Others Are Disappearing
#42
If This Isn't A Big Enough Sign That You Need To Trim Your Hedges More Often I Don't Know What Is
#48
This Attempt At Making A Pathway Through A Park
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