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6 Ideas for The Modern Concrete Walkway

A walkway with multiple shades of gray tile with benches lining the left side. Grass sections by sidewalks are on either side that leads to a hotel resembling the mismatched tile pattern of the walkway.

Wausau Tile - Technology Campus

Walkways are an essential component of any great space. Whether at a sports complex, civic center or commercial building, walkways provide the architectural link between structure and environment, allowing visitors the appropriate space, on their own terms, to experience what it is the area offers. From both functional and aesthetic vantage points, walkways offer an opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

While seemingly a simple concept, the walkways and accompanying areas fronting and surrounding a building create a critical functional service, while also improving its curb appeal. If you are considering modernizing an existing walkway or designing something special for your soon-to-be project, we've gathered 6 modern concrete walkway ideas to help jumpstart your creativity.

The Ideal Material for Walkways: Concrete

Concrete often conjures the image of a large gray mass, the opposite of aesthetically pleasing areas. It has been used historically despite this because of its remarkable durability and strength. Modern concrete production allows for a variety of shapes and colors that can be integrated together into beautiful walkways that continue providing superior material specifications while allowing for endless creative possibilities.

As such, concrete remains a top choice for walkways because it is:

  • Durable: Concrete is one of the most durable materials available. It withstands weather and wears better than most other options.
  • Low-Maintenance: Once your concrete walkway is installed, it requires very little maintenance.
  • Affordable: Concrete is one of the most affordable materials available for walkways. You can get a high-quality concrete walkway for a fraction of the cost of other materials.
  • Versatile: Concrete can be customized to match any style or theme you choose. You can add color, texture and design features that will make your walkway unique.

6 Modern Concrete Walkway Design Ideas

  1. Geometric Hexagonal Pavers with Concrete Benching
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    A plaza with hexagonal, gray tiles making a walkway and raised medians with greenery and trees sectioning it off.

    Wausau Tile - White Plains Library

    In this walkway at the White Plain Library Plaza in White Plains, New York, light and medium-toned gray concrete hexagonal pavers create a meandering pathway through the trees. To bolster the landscape, concrete "retaining walls” were installed to match the intricate walkway patterning while providing a vast seating area for visitors to enjoy the library complex’s exterior.

    An asymmetrical raised median in a plaza with greenery and trees. The median is surrounded by a walkway with gray, hexagonal tiles and tall concrete buildings on either side.

    Wausau Tile - White Plains Library

  2. A Truly Modern Walkway
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    Two buildings, one built with red brick and the other with gray brick, separated by a wide sidewalk with gray and white tile. Lampposts resembling white trees are scattered throughout the sidewalk.

    Wausau Tile - Sally's Path

    Sally’s Path in Pittsburgh stands as a modern approach to walkways, incorporating textured granite architectural pavers, LED strips and illuminated "trees” to deliver a functional spectacle. Nestled in Bakery Square, Sally’s Path is an example of utilizing concrete walkways to create something special for a revitalized neighborhood.

    An aerial view of a sidewalk with gray and white tile in a pixelated honeycomb pattern. The walkway is lit with lines of purple and blue LED lights.

    Wausau Tile - Sally's Path

  3. A Unique Concrete Walkway and Staircase
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    An asymmetrical, white, outdoor stairway with vertical red lights lining it. An illuminated silver railing sits in the middle.

    Wausau Tile - Art Climb

    As previously mentioned, walkways can be easily overlooked because they seem simple and are often dismissed as merely someplace to walk. Stairs are similar in that they serve a critical purpose and don’t necessarily need to be anything more than a way for people to ascend and descend. But the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Art Climb shows how concrete walkways and accompanying stairways can provide their function while also transcending historical designs to become something truly unique.

    An aerial view of an asymmetrical, white, outdoor stairway resembling a soundwave. Green treetops surround it and a two-way road in the top left corner.

    Wausau Tile - Art Climb

    The paver patterned walkway offers a path through the grounds up to the northern museum grounds, providing visitors a wholly unique experience to prepare for what is to come within the museum. Upon exiting a museum, benches along the walkway amongst the tree further provide a space to unpack and relish the experience of the complex.

  4. Welcoming Concrete Walkways at Sports Enthusiast Districts
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    A concrete walkway with white and gray on the perimeter and orange tile in the middle. Wooden tables and barstools and greenery line the walkway.

    Wausau Tile - Ballpark Village

    Sports complexes have begun to understand that the sports experience doesn’t have to be only housed within the stadium itself. Popping up around many of the country’s major sporting venues, sports enthusiast districts are areas adjacent to the stadium where fans can gather before, during and after events, bolstering the great sense of community that sports provide.

    The first step of a concrete walkway with white and gray on the perimeter and orange tile in the middle. Wooden tables, barstools and greenery line the bottom of the walkway.

    Wausau Tile - Ballpark Village

    Next to Busch Stadium, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, Ballpark Village offers a fantastic plaza for sports fans to gather and hang out on those special game days. Architectural pavers and precast concrete from Wausau Tile create a vibrant walkway for fans to enjoy themselves, helping to enlarge and enliven the communal energy emanating from the stadium itself.

  5. A Whimsical Concrete Walkway and Plaza Design
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    A round grass plaza at dusk with a concrete sidewalk surrounded by skyscrapers on every side. Six trees line the inside edge.

    Wausau Tile - Atlanta Financial Center

    At the Atlanta Financial Center, an extra acre of the property was turned into a dynamic park. Instead of just open walkways, an innovative spiraled wall of precast concrete offers a special place for employees to relax, take their work outside or hang for a bit with fellow employees. This example of concrete walkway design shows just how creative architects can be and how extra property can be transformed into something just as special and spectacular as the building itself.

    A round grass plaza surrounded by a concrete barrier with three steps. People are sitting on the barrier facing the grass.

    Wausau Tile - Atlanta Financial Center

  6. A Special Walkway at a Special Place - Nemour’s Children Hospital
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A roof deck with square, brown concrete tile secured with Wausau Tile's Lok-Down system. Brass figurines form a line under the awning.

Wausau Tile - Nemours Children's Hospital

Of all large structures, hospitals come with the most functional needs. In addition, hospitals also need an area to provide a sense of comfort during challenging times. At the Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, special attention was paid to the exterior, providing patients a critical avenue to take a break from the hospital and find solace in the exterior spaces.

A roof deck with square, brown concrete tile secured with Wausau Tile's Lok-Down system. A seating area with orange, pink, and green furniture is enclosed with a concrete median landscaped with bushes.

Wausau Tile - Nemours Children's Hospital

The architects at Stanley Beaman & Sears described the project this way: "The Nemours Children’s Hospital transforms the physical landscape of central Florida and creates spaces capable of transforming the inner landscape of a child as they experience the potential difficult and frightening journey to recovery and beyond.”

Consider Wausau Tile’s Concrete Pavers Over Poured Concrete

When it comes to designing your walkway, consider the creative opportunities afforded by concrete pavers to transform the exterior space into something both functional and unique. At Wausau Tile, we offer a myriad of architectural solutions to construct modern, aesthetically-pleasing concrete walkways and plazas to add the finishing touch to your complex.

Our H-Series pavers include 73 different molds, various colors and numerous looks to choose from. There are thicknesses ranging from 1 ? to 4 inches so you can build walkways and driveways.

These are our strongest pavers, with an average compression rating of 9,500 PSI. Our V-Series pavers have a strength of 8,000 psi and include 20 distinct molds with more than 74 possible combinations of sizes and thicknesses, as well as various colors and looks, including an exposed stone look. V-Series is ideal for any paving job because it has a thickness range of 1 ¾ to 3 inches.

If you are trying to conserve the water table around your home or just need to direct the drainage from the walkway to another area, consider our permeable pavers. We offer custom shapes and coloring and will work with you to accomplish your design goals. Contact us today for more information and to locate a representative near you.