CITIES FOR PEOPLE

JAN GEHL, PROFESSOR, DR. LITT.

FOUNDING PARTNER: GEHL ARCHITECTS
URBAN QUALITY CONSULTANTS, COPENHAGEN

Two old Paradigms

-and a new !

1960 CHANGE OF PARADIGME

Modernism
becomes domminating paradigm for Planning

After 1960
Rapid growth, Large units

City Plan Scale

Birdseye view / Aircraftperspective

Site Plan Scale

Rooftop / Helicopterperspective

People Scale
Eyelevel / 5 km/h perspective

Human Scale completely forgotten!

1960CHANGE OF PARADIGME

Carinvasion

Perth, West Australia

Elsinore, Denmark

Jane Jacobs
*

1961

After 50 years:
A distinct change
of Paradigm
WANTED:
- Lively, Liveable City
- Sustainable City
- Healthy City

Lively, Liveable City

Sustainable City

A good Public Realm is a crucial factor

for good Public Transportation

Healthy City

Houston -the City with the

fattest people of the World

WANTED:
- Lively, Liveable City
- Sustainable City
- Healthy City

Looking carefully
after people in
city planning will
efficiently adress
all 3 issues

In this City everything will be

done to invite people to walk
and bicycle as much as
possible in the course of their
daily day doings

Copenhagen 1962 2012

From traffic place to People Place
50 Years Anniversary

Strdet - before ..and after 1992

Nyhavn - before and after 1980

Public Space-Public Life Surweys: Copenhagen 1968, 1985, 1995 (+2005)

City of Copenhagen

New Strategy 2009

Best City in the World for People

Bicycling in Copenhagen
-on a citywide network of bicycle lanes

Oct 2011: New Danish Government arriving on

bicycles at the Palace to be commissioned by
the Queen.
No Limousines no more?

City of Copenhagen: Bicycle Strategy 2011

From rather good to being best in the World

Congratulations Copenhagen:
Worlds most livable city
(Monocle 2013)

Melbourne, - 3 mio. Inh.

Places for People

1994
Project by Jan Gehl

Places for People

2004
Project Gehl Architects

www.gehlarchitects.dk

When it comes to street life and ambience

Melbourne has by now a distinct touch of say
PARIS!

A CITY GOOD AT PARTIES, OLYMPICS and SUMMITS.

Main Street in Sydney to be transformed

to Pedestrians, Bicycles and Light Rail

Present situation

George St. After conversion

WORLDS MOST LIVEABLE CITIES,

MONOCLE 2013

1. Copenhagen
2. Melbourne
3. Helsinki
4. Tokyo
5. Vienna

6. Zrich
7. Stockholm
8. Munich
9. Sydney
10. Auckland

New York, USA,

2007-2009

9th Avenue- before

9th Avenue after, with Copenhagen style bike lane

Phot:DOT/NYC

Lee Kuan Yew World

City Prize (Singapore)
2010
1. Bilbao
2. Melbourne
2012
1. New York
2. Copenhagen / Malm

Broadway Boulevard 23
May 2009
When you can make it
there you can make it
anywhere,
New York, New York !!

Moscow, Russia: Where car is King

Tverskaya
Main Street,Moscow
December 2011

Towards a great city for people

Gehl Architects, July 2013

July 2013

July 2013

Mayor in Vilnius, Lithouienia: Do not park in my bike lanes

Tverskaya , Main Street, Moscow

December 2011

July 2013

Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin

From Jane Jacobs to Livable Cities

1961

2013

First we shape the cities

-then they shape us

The New York School

* William H. Whyte
*PPS
Project f. Public Spaces 1980

1988

2000

The Berkeley School

*Alexander
*Appleyard
*Cooper Marcus
*Allan Jacobs
*Bossellmann
1981

1988

1993

Copenhagen School
* Life Between Buildings
*Copenhagen Surveys

1971..2006

1968, 1985, 1995, 2005

Arkitekt M.A.A.

After 1960
Rapid growth, Large units

City Plan Scale

Birdseye view / Aircraftperspective

Site Plan Scale

Rooftop / Helicopterperspective

People Scale
Eyelevel / 5 km/h perspective

City Planning based on Modernistic Ideology

Large, cold spaces, few people

Large, cold spaces, few people

Downtown, Dubai

This thing called:

PEOPLEWASHING

PROTECTION

COMFORT

ENJOYMENT

Piazza Il Campo, Siena, Italy

The Finest Urban Space in the World

- a miracle or straightforward common sense?

Overview of Quality
criterias
-The Pedestrian
landscape

Campo in Siena

Overview of Quality
criterias
-The Pedestrian
landscape

Nyhavn, Copenhagen

Overview of Quality criterias

-The Pedestrian landscape
Campo in Siena

CITIES FOR PEOPLE

JAN GEHL, PROFESSOR, DR. LITT.

FOUNDING PARTNER: GEHL ARCHITECTS
URBAN QUALITY CONSULTANTS, COPENHAGEN

CITIES FOR PEOPLE

JAN GEHL, PROFESSOR, DR. LITT.

FOUNDING PARTNER: GEHL ARCHITECTS
URBAN QUALITY CONSULTANTS, COPENHAGEN

There is much more to Walking

- than walking!

Transport.. and all the joyful stuff

Walking because you have to

And / or enjoying life in the city

and / or enjoying life in the city

You can walk -and walk - and walk....

-but you could just as well walk`n-talk

Slide 63

- or walk`n-watch (and be watched!)

- or walk`n-wink

Slide 63

-or you can stop`n watch

If you can find a vacant bollard ! (Campo in Siena, Italy)

-or you can stop`n-talk

-or you can walk`n-waltz`

-or you can stop`n - watch`n - learn

-and whenever you feel

like you can adress your
fellow citiziens

Summing up:
We are talking about
life itself!
-everything worth
talking about happens
when you are on your
feet -that`s what we
were made for!

Laura, Grandchild, 1 Year

LET US MAKE
CITIES FOR PEOPLE

Difference between Social Housing

and Genious Architecture
Cartoon in Danish Newspaper 2013

In the home
the Children
play were the
activity is

Life.an everlasting
source of joy and learning

Man is mans greatest

joy
(From old Icelandic Saga)

Always a two-way contact:

..to watch and be watched

The lively spaces are always

prefered

2010 - 2013
Cities for People

Available in all major languages !!

CITIES FOR PEOPLE

JAN GEHL, PROFESSOR, DR. LITT.

FOUNDING PARTNER: GEHL ARCHITECTS
URBAN QUALITY CONSULTANTS, COPENHAGEN

Life and Activity is the finest

Attraction of all

KEY WORDS FOR A GOOD PEOPLE ENVIRONTMENT

WALKING ALONG

GOOD CONDITIONS FOR

HEARING & TALKING

GETTING ACROSS

ACTIVITIES & SEASONS

A CITY FOR ALL

LVISUAL QUALITY

OPPORTUNITIES TO REST

GOOD CITY BY NIGHT

MOSCOW IS GENERALLY NOT A CITY FOR WALKING

UNATTRACTIVE WALKING
ENVIRONMENT SENDS
PEDESTRIANS TO THE METRO
HECTIC TRAFFIC AROUND THE
METRO STATIONS

Downtown, Dubai

Mrs. Lan,
Danish Embassy in Hanoi

Do you have a Baby Boom in Copenhagen?

Children are being wheeled around everywhere

30 % of all families w/ children have Cargobikes

Every bike can take one, two, (three) kids

-and they do

Learning to bike at an early age and with great

determination - And proud as Peacocks they are!

Paula R. Gehl 4 years

Laura R. Gehl 4 years

Biking to school and biking in all directions

from age 4 ( good bicyclelanes a precondition)

Priority for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Sidewalks and bicyclelanes across side
streets. Children can stay on the sidewalk
all the way to school

REFLECTION:
Many children present in a
city is a sure sign of quality
and livability

Prediction concerning number of Cars

Worldwide based on developement by 2014

July 2013

WELCOME TO THE 21st CENTURY

INTRODUCING SPECTACULAR MONUMENTS AS CITY

IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY

Downtown, Dubai

Brooklyn, New York Residences: Frank Gehry

Lee Kuan Yew World

City Prize (Singapore)
2010
1. Bilbao
2. Melbourne
2012
1. New York
2. Copenhagen / Malm

Mayor in Vilnius, Lithouienia: Do not park in my bike lanes

Bucharest, Romania: Things could be better, but

Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin