Gehl Architects has worked with many cities to improve public spaces and urban quality of life. Their work is based on research by Jan Gehl on how the built environment impacts human activity and social interaction. In Copenhagen, they conducted multi-decade public life studies to inform improvements. For New York City, they analyzed the public realm, recommended initiatives to enhance streets and promote cycling, and piloted projects that doubled bicycle lanes and attracted over 300,000 people to car-free events.

1. These are some of the cities
we have worked with
Gehl Architects’ vision is to create cities that are lively, healthy, diverse,
sustainable and safe - and thereby improve people’s quality of life.
City ProjeCts

2. Research as the foundation
The work of Gehl Architects builds on Professor Jan Gehl’s 40 years of
extensive research on life in public spaces. Along with new research
40 years of research
this continues to build the foundation for our work in small and large
Life Between Buildings (Jan Gehl) First
cities in all corners of the world. published in 1971, the book continues to be
a widely used handbook on the relationship
between public spaces and the social life in
The human dimension cities. It is published in 18 languages.
Gehl Architects - Urban Quality Consultants is a consulting firm offering
expertise in the fields of architecture, urban design and city planning. our work
is based on the human dimension – the built environment’s effect on activity
patterns and interaction between people. We consider the attractive and lively
public realm to be one of the most important keys to quality in cities.
Although physical aspects of humans such as our senses and the way we walk
and sit are timeless, we continually work to develop our knowledge regarding Cities for people
Jan Gehl
how the physical environment influences social interaction. An integral part of Jan Gehl
our work is to keep track of current research and knowledge, and to continue to
Cities for people
carry out own research projects and analysis.
Empirical analysis New Book ‘Cities for people’ will be published in
We develop solutions based on detailed analysis of the existing social and built 2010. In this book, Jan Gehl presents his latest
work on creating cityscapes on a human scale. The
context in the form of public life and public space surveys. thus our design and book explains the methods and tools to reconfigure
planning solutions are based on a comprehensive understanding of people’s use unworkable cityscapes into cities for people.
of public space and the way people experience urban quality.
Gehl Architects work both to improve existing cities and city areas, as well
as to consult on the planning and design of new city areas, urban residential
developments and new towns.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

3. Danish version* Dutch Norwegian English version** Japanese Italian Chinese version Taiwanese
1971 1978 1980 1987 1990 1991 2003 1996
Estudios Jan Gehl
Universitarios de
Arquitectura
9
La humanización del
ESPACIO
URBANO
Jan Gehl
Leben zwischen Gebäuden
Die Nutzung des offenlichen Raums
Ubersetz von Studierenden des Instituts für Translationswissenschaft Editorial La vida social entre los edificios
Universität Innsbruck Reverté
Czech Korean German Spanish Bengali Vietnamese Polish Serbian
2000 2002 2005 2006 2008 2008 2010 2010
You can buy the English language books at www.arkfo.dk (DK) or www.islandpress.com (US), and download project reports on www.gehlarchitects.dk
* the Danish version has since then been published in 6 editions. the 6th edition was published in 2007.
** the english version has since then been published in 6 editions. the 6th edition was published 2006.
Public Spaces - Public Life (Jan Gehl and Lars Gemzøe, 1996) New City Spaces (Jan Gehl and Lars Gemzøe, 2001) provides New City Life (Gehl, Gemzøe, Kirknæs & Søndergaard, 2006)
describes 34 years of development of the public spaces in an international perspective on the renaissance of public Over the past 50 years, the use of public space has changed
Copenhagen and documents the impressive growth of public life and public spaces. City strategies from Barcelona, dramatically. New City Life is a handbook describing how
life that followed. Winner of the “Edra/Places Research Lyon, Strasbourg, Freiburg, Copenhagen, Portland, Curitiba, to improve the quality of life in the city by responding to the
Award” USA, 1998. Cordoba and Melbourne are presented as well as 39 challenges facing cities in the 21st century. Published in
remarkable new public spaces. Published in Danish, English, Danish and English.
Spanish, Portuguese, Czech and Chinese.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

4. Methodology
The study of people’s well-being lays the foundation for the formation of our
strategic planning and design work: First life - then space - then buildings.
Turning the design process around:
Work process
Gehl Architects have developed a work process that
ensures the highest standards for city development.
the study of people’s well-being lays the foundation
Life
for the formation of strategic planning and design
work. in our project work we utilize the empirical
survey and mapping methods that Professor jan
Gehl has developed, which explores the way urban
areas are used.
Space
our design solutions begin with formulating a vision
and comprehensive programme of activities based
on the type of life - its activities and attractions
- that are inherent in a given area. the next step is
to develop a public space network that can support
the public life. Finally we envision how buildings
Buildings
can contribute to our aspirations for public life in
terms of height, massing and scale as well as their
functions and interaction with the public realm.
We work to create sustainable environments
and promote a holistic lifestyle. A city should
open up, invite and include people, having
different activities and possibilities and thereby
ensuring multiplicity and diversity.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1, 4.tv · 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

5. Planning For People Is A World Wide Request
Most cities have rather precise statistics about traffic flows and parking
patterns and information concerning commercial activities in the city centres
are generally well developed. But when it comes to insight and information
about the people who move around in the city, and about how the public spaces
function for the people who use the city, no such systematic information is
generally available.
Cultures are different..
..climates are different..
..but the way people inhabit
and use space is universal.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

6. Copenhagen / Public spaces - Public life / 1996
Copenhagen / DenMArK / 1968 and onwards
ProjeCt: PUPLiC sPACe PUBLiC LiFe stUDies
CLient: City oF CoPenHAGen
For more than 40 years Jan Gehl and Gehl Architects have been involved in several studies of
urban life in Copenhagen. Four large scale City Life Studies have been carried out, one every
decade from 1968 to 2005.
Copenhagen / new City Life / 2005
City ProjeCt
From 1962 and onwards streets and squares in Copenhagen have been transformed to
create people friendly urban spaces.
Puplic space Public Life studies in Copenhagen are a pioneering work
introduced in Copenhagen in 1968. the methods were originally developed as
part of a research project at the school of Architecture, royal Danish Academy
of Fine Arts. Put simply the methods involve mapping and assessing city space
and registering the city life that takes place there. typically urban life registration
brings to light the extent of pedestrian and staying activities at selected times
and days in various seasons of the year.
in Copenhagen, Puplic space Public Life studies have developed into a key
planning tool that makes it possible for politicians and urban planners to acquire
knowledge about how the city is changing, as well as to get ideas about how
the city can be further improved. Life in the city becomes visible, and over
the years it has been a decisive factor for carrying out the many qualitative
improvements of Copenhagen’s public space.
“37% commute by bicycle in
Puplic space Public Life studies are applied by Gehl Architects all over the
Copenhagen. Even in winter
world. the work in many different cities has provided a detailed picture of
the character and extent of city life in the various cities for use in local urban
70% of these commuters
planning. in a larger context, the studies have provided a valuable overview of
the cultural patterns and development trends in various parts of the world.
continue to bicycle.“
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

7. The gradual development of pedestrian areas in the heart of
Copenhagen from 1962 - 2005.
99,770
95,750
99,770
95,750
82,820
82,820
First pedestrian promenade in 1962: 15,800 m2
66,150
66,150
49,200
49,200
By 1973, the network of pedestrian
streets connected the most important 22,860
locations in the city centre: 49,200 m2
15,800
22,860
15,800
1962 1968 1973 1988 1992 1996 2005
1962 1968 1973 1988 1992 1996 2005
The network of car-free streets and The graph shows the development of pedestrian areas in the
squares in 2005: 99,770 m2 parts of the inner city where studies have been conducted
from 1968-2005. The numbers indicate m2
City life has been studied in urban conglomerates varying in size from small Australia, Wellington, new Zealand) and north America (seattle, Washington
provincial towns to large cities like London (2004) and new york (2007-2009). and san Francisco, California). Having data from various cities has also made
this list of cities where the methods have been used in the past two decades it possible to carry out comparisons and ensure the transfer of knowledge,
gives an indication of the variation in geography and cultures: europe (oslo, inspiration and solutions from city to city.
norway, stockholm, sweden, riga, Latvia and rotterdam, Holland, London,
Aberdeen, edinburgh), Africa (Cape town, south Africa), Middle east (Amman,
jordan), Australasia (Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, sydney and Brisbane,
Number of café chairs throughout the inner city study area
1986-2005
7,020
4,780
2,970
1986 1995 2005
The number of café chairs rose by 61% from 1986-1995.
The number increased by another 47% from 1995-2005.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

8. World Class Streets:
Remaking New York
City’s Public Realm
WORLD CLASS
World Class Streets:
Remaking New York
City’s Public Realm
STREETS : REMAKIN
G NEW YORK CITY’S
PUBLIC REALM
New York City / UsA / 2007
ProjeCt: UrBAn reALM & BiCyCLe strAteGy
CLient: City oF neW yorK, DePArtMent oF trAnsPortAtion
NEW YORK CITY
World Class
Streets:
DEPARTM
Remaking New York
Gehl Architects is working to promote quality of life and livability in New York. Our strategic City’s Public Realm
ENT OF TRANSPO
www.nyc.gov/dot
recommendations will help make New York a lively, attractive, safe, sustainable and healthy city.
RTATION
2
The work informs both long-term and short-term improvements that are in line with the Mayors 3
PlaNYC Initiative: A 20 year vision for a “greener, greater NYC”.
Read the report http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/home/home.shtml
City ProjeCt
CE
N
PA TRAL
RK
CO
CIR LUMB
CLE US
ARD
Above: New public space and bicycle lanes on Broadway Boulevard and public life in Times Square
LEV
OU
YB
Gehl Architects in 2007 analysed the condition of nyC’s public realm using
WA
the Public space/Public Life survey method. read the report based on our
AD
BRO
recommendations - detailing Department of transportation’s strategy to TIM
SQ ES
enhance the public realm. UA
RE
the results formed a strategic vision aimed at improving conditions for
pedestrians and promoting a balance between modes of transportation. the
vision manifests itself in a series of quickly implemented and affordable pilot HE
R
SQ ALD
projects along the new Broadway Boulevard including projects on times square, UA
RE
Herald and Greenly squares and Madison square reclaiming nearly 500,000 GR
E
SQ ELEY
UA
ft2 (45,000 m2) of public space alongside initiatives throughout the City’s five RE
boroughs.
MA
the project has so far doubled the amount of bicycle lanes in nyC and as a SQ DISO
PA UARE N
RK
result twice as many new yorkers commute to work on bicycle. A seven mile
car-free route, known as summer streets, from Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, TOP PAGE INFO - CHAPTER HEADING
TOOL KIT - BOULEVARD PROGRAM IDEAS FOR DEVELOPING A NEW YORK CITY
opened in the summers of 2008 and 2009. over 300,000 people attended the
BICYCLE CULTURE
events, some trying bicycling on city streets for the first time. the event earned Pilot projects along Broadway Boulevard UN
SQ ION
rave reviews from new yorkers and local papers, catching the attention of cities
DRAFT 270109
DRAFT 270109
UA
BROADWAY · GEHL ARCHITECTS · P 137
RE
across the world. public realm analysis
potentials and problems
public realm strategy
pilOt prOJects
public realm & bicycle strategy
recommendations
PilOt PrOJects
bicycle strategy
brOadway
gansevOOrt square 8th & 9th avenue
e. fOrdham rOad flatbush avenue
final draft 080610
final draft 080610 flushing main street draft 080910 OPen streets
public realm analysis · p 21 broadway · pilot project · public realm · p broadway · pilot project · public realm · p
Above: Analysis, Surveys and Recommendations, Gehl Architects.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

9. the project aspires to expand the use of bicycling - as an efficient and safe -
not to mention healthy and environmentally friendly- mode of transportation.
this goal is in-part achieved through new protected ‘Copenhagen style’
bicycle lanes along major streets. since 2007, new york City has doubled the
quantity of bicycle lanes, reaching 725 km in 2009. over the same period, new
policy including allowing bicycle parking inside office buildings and awareness
campaigns, contributes to a two-fold increase in new yorkers commuting to
work and education by bicycle.
5min 10 min
0,75 mile 1,5 mile
Most new yorkers are never more than a
10 min bikeride 63% decrease in
away from a train or metro station traffic injuries
Protected bicycle lanes along ‘Broadway Boulevard’ and
35% decrease in
‘Copenhagen Style’ bicycle track along 9th Ave, Manhattan. pedestrian injuries
Making use of the streets for
non-motorized public events Access for all users
Creating new people
friendly urban spaces on Times Square
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

10. London / UK / 2004
ProjeCt: UrBAn reALM strAteGy
CLient: trAnsPort For LonDon, CentrAL LonDon PArtnersHiP
The introduction of congestion charge moved London into a new era where car dominance is
replaced by a better balance between vehicular traffic, public transport, cycling and pedestrian London / Towards a Fine City for People / 2004
traffic. The report “Towards a Fine City for People” describes the present conditions in London
and pinpoints the barriers and obstacles pedestrians have to overcome when walking in London.
...where the car is king -
City ProjeCt
and other users are not
prioritized
Recommendations
the analysis of the public spaces and the public life of London points to different
problems and potentials at all levels of scale.
But rather than presenting a fixed future plan for the city the recommendations
set out measures of success and quality criteria that can last, as they are based
on understanding how people use and experience cities.
Capitalise on the unique qualities. Create a better balance between traffic and Improve conditions for walking in the city Improve conditions for walking in the city.
Southbank, London, UK other city users. Lyon, France Copenhagen, Denmark Lyon, France
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

11. Challenges
the car has been king for a very long time and there is no end to pedestrian
hardships. At the bottom is displayed some general problems facing pedestrians
and cyclists in London. All represent daily moments of irritation and danger.
the present problems in London are symptoms of low pedestrian priority. What
is yet to be developed is the leisure aspect in the city so that people can enjoy
being in the city’s squares and streets - and not just the parks.
A general discussion of urban quality has been raised with the report from Gehl
Architects and a process has begun towards improving the quality of the public
spaces and thus inviting people to repossess their city.
0 100 200 300 400 500 (m)
Major challenges
Obstacle course on the footway. Narrow footways. Unnecessary footway interruptions. Difficult crossings.
Poor access. Lack of room and lack of seats. Cluttered street scape. Poor conditions for cyclists.
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

12. Melbourne / AUstrALiA / 1994 - 2004
ES
PLACPEOPLE
FOR
ProjeCt: UrBAn reALM strAteGy
CLient: MeLBoUrne City CoUnCiL agen
MELBO
URNE
2004
enh
ration
with ants Cop
collabo Consult
rne in Quality
Melbou CTS, Urban
City of ITE
ARCH
GEHL
In 1994 Jan Gehl was invited to Melbourne to conduct a survey examining the issues and opportunities
regarding public space and to collect data on public life. The data was presented in ‘Places for
People’. In 2004 Gehl Architects conducted an update. The results were clear and concise: ‘Places for People’ edition 1994 and 2004 was awarded the
‘Edra Places Award’ in 2006 as well as ‘The Australian Award
Melbourne has achieved an impressive rebirth of public life in the city. for Urban Design’ in 2005.
...to a vibrant
City ProjeCt
public realm
from a deserted
Above: Article by Norman Day. city centre...
Achievements
Melbourne improved the quality of the public realm and has introduced 71%
more people-oriented high-quality urban spaces from 1994 to 2004.
over the last decade Melbourne has experienced an urban renaissance through
a gradual but consistent transformation of streets, lanes and other spaces
into public places that are culturally engaging and diverse, and that response
to the city’s intrensic physical character. some of the achievements reached
A revitalised network of lanes arcades.
in between 1994 and 2004 following the recommendations from ’Places for
People’ are shown to the right.
Daytime pedestrian traffic Stationary activities
has increased:
40% have increased:
300%
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

13. ...upgrading the
Ambitious Programme bicycle network
For City-Wide Bicycling
From 2006 to 2016 an ambitious bicycle
strategy will turn Melbourne into a very
bicycle friendly city using the so called
“Copenhagen Style Bicycle Lanes”.
A larger residential community. A 24-hour city. More places to sit down.
Night time pedestrian traffic An increasing student population. New squares, promenades parks.
has increased:
100%
Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1 · DK 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk