A Mediterranean atmosphere in the desert
In Tempe, Arizona, a new neighbourhood called Culdesac is reinventing urban life. It bans private cars and invites visitors to enjoy plazas, paseos and Mediterranean-style architecture.
When resident Sheryl Murdock walks to her apartment, she feels as if she has landed on a Greek island. She enters the central plaza, where traffic noise disappears. Instead, she hears the clinking of glasses, cheerful conversations and the thud of a cornhole game.
She strolls through narrow lanes lined with white buildings and fairy lights. Murals and magenta bougainvillea add bursts of colour. “It’s like being in Greece,” Murdock says, even though she is firmly in Arizona.
Built for people, not cars
Architect Daniel Parolek designed Culdesac with the Mediterranean in mind. His travels to Italian and French villages shaped his vision. These towns were created before the car, so every space accommodates people first.
Parolek asks why people should only experience such places on vacation instead of living in them daily. For decades, societies reshaped cities for cars, not humans. The result is endless asphalt, polluted air, isolating suburbs and unbearable heat.
A shift towards walkable cities
Research now proves that walkable cities make residents happier, healthier and less lonely. Across the world, urban planners explore sustainable models like Copenhagen’s Nordhavn or Barcelona’s superblocks.
For visitors, Culdesac offers a taste of this future. They can browse shops, dine outdoors or visit weekend markets without ever hearing traffic roar.
An experiment in car-dependent Arizona
Culdesac stands out because of its location. Tempe is part of Phoenix, one of America’s most car-dependent metros. Public transport is weak, so most residents rely on cars.
When the first tenants moved in during 2023, sceptics doubted the idea. Could a neighbourhood without private vehicles work in such a place?
The answer is mobility. Culdesac is “car free, but mobility rich”, says Parolek. The 17-acre site includes eateries, shops, a doctor, a gym, a pool and a dog park. Everything is within walking distance.
Connected without owning a car
For visitors, the light rail stops at Culdesac’s entrance. It connects directly to downtown Phoenix and the airport. Waymo robotaxis provide self-driving rides, while Archer’s Bikes rents e-bikes for exploring local attractions.
For Murdock, the chance to live lighter inspired her move. She studies ocean sustainability at Arizona State University. The light rail gets her to campus in ten minutes. She pedals her e-bike around Tempe, a Gold-Level Bicycle Friendly Community. If needed, she rents one of Culdesac’s shared electric cars for $5 an hour.
“I prefer the 15-minute city concept,” she says. “I don’t want to drive everywhere anymore.”
Cutting emissions and beating the heat
According to the United Nations, switching from cars to public transport, biking and walking can cut up to 3.6 tonnes of emissions per person yearly. When Culdesac is complete, with 760 homes and 1,000 residents, the community could prevent 3,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.
Heat is another challenge in Phoenix. In 2023, the city endured 143 days above 38°C. Culdesac uses white paint on buildings to reflect sunlight, reducing the urban heat island effect.
With no space needed for cars, buildings stand close together, shading each other and cooling the narrow paseos. Breezes flow through, and apartments have windows on opposite walls for cross-ventilation.
Harvard researchers found the ground temperature in Culdesac to be 17–22°C cooler than surrounding pavements.
A community with life in the streets
Culdesac fosters lively street culture. Around 21 small businesses operate there, from a James Beard-nominated Mexican restaurant to ceramic and candle-making studios. Residents can even run businesses from their homes thanks to special zoning rules.
On market days, live music fills the air as visitors taste Navajo-inspired blue corn croissants or browse handmade crafts.
“Remove cars, and communities thrive,” says Parolek.
Fighting loneliness and finding community
Pedestrian spaces create constant encounters among neighbours, shop owners and visitors. This reduces loneliness, which often grows in car-focused suburbs.
Though Culdesac is technically an apartment complex, residents describe it as a true neighbourhood. Shared eco-conscious values bring people together. “It’s like finding your people,” Murdock says.
A model for the future
The Culdesac team now plans to expand to other US cities. Interest from governments and developers continues to grow.
“Culdesac Tempe proves Americans want car-free living, even in a city like Phoenix,” says Erin Boyd, who leads the company’s government relations. “It shows that a different kind of development is possible.”
For travellers, Culdesac offers more than a visit. Walking, cycling and using light rail here fuels the imagination. It shows how old design ideas and a renewed sense of community could shape tomorrow’s cities.
