The Voyage of the Woonerf

"Roughly translated as 'living streets,' the woonerf (pronounced VONE-erf) functions without traffic lights, stop signs, lane dividers or even sidewalks. Indeed, the whole point is to encourage human interaction; those who use the space are forced to be aware of others around them, make eye contact and engage in person-to-person interactions," explains Hockenos. 

"Woonerfs and their derivatives — sometimes called shared spaces, complete streets or home zones — are piquing the interest of urban planners in several countries," he notes.