This document discusses ideas for improving urban planning and city design. It summarizes challenges with the current design of Regent Street in London, including poor air quality, congestion, and an unpleasant environment for pedestrians due to traffic domination. The document then outlines ideas tested in Summer Streets projects that opened Regent Street to pedestrians by reducing car traffic. Evaluations found increased footfall, retailer support, and more people using the area when it was less dominated by vehicles and prioritized for walking. The document advocates designing cities to be more people-friendly and making areas easy for pedestrians and cyclists to encourage more sustainable transportation choices.

1. !
6 June 2014

2. какой
город
хотите
вы?
WHAT KIND OF CITY DO YOU WHANT?

9. !
A place is a reflection of the Culture of the people who created it.

10. THE VISION THING!

11. The excruciating pain of our urban reality!

12. ”THE BRASILIA SYNDROME”!
(City Planning from 10.000 meter above the ground )

13. Brasilia (1955- )

14. Brasilia -The people scale is completely neglected

18. 17
Brooklyn, New York - Residences: Frank Gehry

19. 18

21. 20
Kensington & Chelsea - high density with low rise and parks

22. WHY SEND A
POSTCARD?

25. Courtesy of Robert Adam ©

26. Courtesy of Robert Adam ©

29. “Insanity is this:
doing the same thing
over and over again
and expecting different
results.”
Albert Einstein

31. We specialise in PLACE MAKING

32. Place making is turning a
neighbourhood, town or
city from a place you
can’t wait to get through
to one you never want to
leave.

33. We enable city transformations

34. OUR CLIENTS: state agencies, public sector, private sector and organisations

35. 40 years of research as the foundation

37. Urban Quality Criteria

40. Man is a Walking Animal – Ground Speed 5 km/hour
Central to any consideration about space and place must be - People

42. Walking as an aesthetic practice
“…an action that
is simultaneously
an act of
perception and of
creativity of
reading and
writing the
territory”
Francesco Careri
‘Alinemadebywalking’RichardLong1968

43. WE HAVE A MAXIMUM VELOCITY OF 32 Km/h

44. Velocity

45. OUR RIB CAGE CAN WITHSTAND IMPACTS AT UP TO 32 Km/h
Our ancestors used to chase down prey by running them to the ground.

46. When walking we look where we are putting our feet!
public realm is a recent invention.
O

52. Cultures are different………

53. Climates are different……….

54. Climates are different……….

55. But the way
people inhabit
and use space
is universal

57. !
What do we experience at eye-level?

59. !
We need a lot of stimuli
1000 stimulus per hour =
1 per every 4 seconds

61. !
Human senses are a necessary planning consideration
4
sec. 4
sec. 4
sec.

62. Public distance (3.5-10 m)

63. Personal distance (0.5-1.3 m)

64. Intimate distance (0-0.5 m)

65. !
The social field of vision range 100 – 0,5m

66. 5 km/h environment:
Made for walking through
Bo 01 Malmö

67. 60km/h environment
made for driving through

68. WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS

79. “Accountants kill great
companies”
Steve Jobs

81. THE THIRD LAW OF PHYSICS
!

82. Copenhagen Modal Split
61% of those who bike do so out of convenience
People don’t change their behaviour when you tell them to;
People change when the context makes it easy!

83. Copenhagen Modal Split
61% of those who bike do so out of convenience
People don’t change their behaviour when you tell them to;
People change when the context makes it easy!

84. Reclaiming our street

86. Focus on Making
Cities for People
!
When cities
attract people they
attract
Bik zur rahmet

87. Focus on Making
Cities for People
!
When cities
attract people they
attract
Thank you
Bik zur rahmet

88. 83

89. New York is turning people friendly!
Place Making is about the economy stupid!

90. Summer Streets
and the pilot projects

91. NYC Dept. of Transport w/ Gehl Architects,
Published: 13 Nov 2008

92. DOT used
in-house staff
and resources
to deliver the project.

94. Herald Square - before

95. Herald Square - after

96. Times Square - before

97. Times Square - after

99. Instant use

101. SUMMER STREETS
Regent Street
July 2013

102. Regent Street Today
Challenges
!
• Pollution from traffic fumes
• The area feels traffic dominated
• Unsafe - accident rate 17 times London Average
• Crowded pavements - tiring environment
• Clutter – further reduces pedestrian space
• No public seating
• A very dangerous/impossible climate for cyclists - difficult to make use of the
cycle hire system!
• One side is sunnier
• Buses block the fine views
!
Positives
!
• Unique place
• Offers quality shopping
• Easy access by public transport
• World-class architecture and townscape

103. The space can be dominated by traffic, the
noise levels and pollution are unpleasant
Regent Street Today

104. Poor Air Quality on Regent Street
The single biggest cause of NO2 emissions are diesel powered vehicles, such as buses and taxis
King’s College London Environmental Research Group & Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge

105. 9% of residents
die prematurely due to
air pollution levels in
some of London's most
popular areas
Particulate Air Pollution is the biggest cause of
premature death after smoking.
Poor Air Quality in Central London
Sunday Times 20.01.13 / Department of Health

106. Poor Air Quality in Regent Street
King’s College London Environmental Research Group
& Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge
nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
200
250
100
150
50
114
144
200 +
Up to 5 times more
N02 than EU limits
2009 2010 2011
EU Limit Values: 40 μg m-3
This situation is likely to continue...
- even with technological initiatives already taken

107. Poor walking conditions, frustrating driving conditions
Gridlock causes people to zig-zag
between cars to cross the street

108. Mode share on Regent Street 2010
Traffic congestion on Oxford Street, Regent Street & Bond Street, The Crown Estate
Share of Regent Street road space today
Pedestrians are 77 % of users - but today only
have 42 % of road space

109. SUMMER STREETS 2013
A pedestrian Priority Regent Street would mean at peak hour;
16 persons/minute/metre
This would be with no street furniture or outdoor seating.

110. Economic performance on traffic free days
Regent Street - Traffic Free Retailer Survey, CBRE
Extended Sunday trading could compliment traffic free days
51% of retailers saw
increased footfall on the
traffic free day
89% of retailers want
to see West End traffic
free days in 2013

111. Summer Streets Regent Street 2013

112. 107