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!
1960…CHANGE 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
Strædet - 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

WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITIES,
MONOCLE 2013
1. Copenhagen 6. Zürich
2. Melbourne 7. Stockholm
3. Helsinki 8. Munich
4. Tokyo 9. Sydney
5. Vienna 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 / Malmø
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!

LET US MAKE
Laura, Grandchild, 1 Year 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 man’s 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 / Malmø
Mayor in Vilnius, Lithouienia: “Do not park in my bike lanes”
Bucharest, Romania: Things could be better, but…………
Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin