Urban walkability is a critical concept linking urban design, planning, and public health. Despite its importance, it remains challenging to define and operationalize precisely. Traditional approaches focus on evaluating quality objectives at environmental, urban, and building levels, emphasizing street characteristics. Density, functional mix, and access networks are recognized as key factors. The work aims to develop a design approach by integrating physical and intangible aspects influencing walkability, declining them as design guidelines. To evaluate the approach, it was applied to Padua, Italy, at the neighborhood scale, focusing on an area with growing demand for student housing. This evaluation allows addressing the most critical areas needing requalification, providing valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and designers. It also contributes to the ongoing dialogue about creating more liveable, sustainable, and equitable urban environments. The study demonstrates the practical applicability of the method and its potential to inform targeted, context-specific urban improvement strategies. By combining traditional quantitative measures with a more nuanced evaluation of the pedestrian experience, it ultimately aims to create more walkable, liveable, and sustainable urban environments.