50 Times City Architects Failed To Understand People’s Needs, And It Resulted In These ‘Desire Paths’ Appearing Around The City

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.

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

My Cat Passed Away Last Night. These Were His Paths

If You Try Sometimes, You Get What You Need

When you want a shortcut, whether when going from the bus stop to the office or stopping by the corner shop, but the path designated for you seems way longer, you pick an unbeaten path instead. You soon realize that many others before you have already done that by traces it left in the grass.

Robert Macfarlane describes desire paths as “paths and tracks made over time by the wishes & feet of walkers, especially those paths that run contrary to design or planning”; he calls them “free-will ways”. JM Barrie described them as “Paths that have Made Themselves”. There’s something both fascinating and somewhat mysterious about them, so no wonder there are countless Reddit threads and communities dedicated to them.

Generations Of Bunnies Have Worn A Perfect Groove In My Neighbor’s Fence

After Our Dog Passed, We Turned His Desire Path Into A Forever Path

Desire Path Of A 17yo Kitty

To find out more about our fascination with desire paths and the meanings we ascribe to them, Bored Panda reached out to Lisa Yaszek, a Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech where she researches and teaches science fiction as a global language crossing centuries, continents, and cultures. According to Yaszek, we’re fascinated with desire paths because they spark connection, community, and creativity in a seemingly impersonal world.

“Photos of animal-made desire paths connect us to the natural world, reminding us that we are all desire path-seeking creatures, whether we make those paths in nature or culture. Indeed, photos of non-human desire paths in human-made spaces can specifically remind us that the dichotomy between nature and culture is an artificial one and that animals can and will find ways to co-exist with us in human-built infrastructures,” Yaszek explained.

The Oval Walkways At Ohio State University Were Paved Based On The Students’ Desire Paths

Found This Beautiful Path Earlier This Year

Found A Lovely One In Dorset

Desire paths are also the symbols of human community, Yaszek argues. “When we follow a human-made desire path (or simply enjoy a photo of one), we do more than just move efficiently through space; we become part of a whole group of humans (and maybe even companion animals!) who are making our presence felt in a world that all too often feels like it is designed by abstract authorities with unfathomable agendas.”

Moreover, sometimes desire paths can become the means by which we strike up a dialog with those abstract authorities, Yaszek continues. “In the best of all worlds, sometimes those authorities respond in kind, embracing and enhancing our preferred routes through the spaces we live in. In such scenarios, we become co-creators of our lived realities,” the professor explained.

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Doggo Desire Path At A Local Off-Leash Park. Remember That Pavement Can Be Too Hot For Paws On A Sunny Day!

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It Took 4 Years

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The Ants In My Garage Built A Bridge Over My Glue Trap

Andrew Furman, a professor in interior design and architecture at Ryerson University in Toronto, has been researching desire paths for years. According to him, they tell us something about “the endless human desire to have a choice. The importance of not having someone prescribe your path”.

“An individual can really write their own story. It’s something really powerful if you do have that agency to move,” Furman argues. Desire paths allow us to “not follow the script,” something that can be interpreted as a form of resistance. This is because in a heavily constructed city, there are “rules as to how public and public-private spaces are used”, Furman believes.

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