Pedestrian Movement in Architecture and Planning: 1962–2025 Bibliometric Review

The aim of this study is to examine the evolution of academic research on pedestrian movements over time and to This study aims to examine the historical evolution, current status, and emerging trends in academic research on pedestrian movements through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Pedestrian movements, as a fundamental component of urban dynamics, have become a central focus in sustainable urban planning, particularly in response to critiques of car-oriented city design since the 1960s. The research analyzes 829 academic publications from 1962 to 2025, retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus databases, including journal articles, proceedings, book chapters, and reviews that mention "pedestrian movement" in their titles, abstracts, or keywords. Using VOS Viewer software, the data were analyzed in terms of publication trends, influential authors, collaborative networks, key concepts, and citation performance. The findings reveal a significant increase in pedestrian movement studies over time, with growing interdisciplinarity across fields such as architecture, urban planning, public health, and informatics. Major research themes identified include walkability, accessibility, safety, urban morphology, environmental perception, and digital modeling. Furthermore, the study highlights the rising importance of data-driven methods and international academic collaborations. Despite existing reviews focusing on specific topics like pedestrian safety or evacuation, this research fills a critical gap by offering the large-scale bibliometric overview of the pedestrian movement field. It also proposes future research directions based on observed trends and gaps in the literature. Overall, this study provides a valuable reference for scholars, urban policymakers, and planners, aiming to foster a more human-centered approach to urban design and to guide future investigations on pedestrian movements.