CITIES FOR PEOPLECITIES FOR PEOPLE

JAN GEHL, PROFESSOR, DR. LITT. FOUNDING PARTNER: GEHL ARCHITECTS

URBAN QUALITY CONSULTANTS, COPENHAGEN

CHANGE OF PARADIGM 1

1960

CHANGE OF PARADIGM 2

From 1955…. Car invasionCar invasion

Perth, West Australia Elsinore, Denmark

Jane JacobsJane JacobsJane Jacobs Jane Jacobs **

1961196119611961

Lower Manhattan Expressway

Celebrating the Gateway in Washington Square Park!

”THE BRASILIA SYNDROME”!(City Planning from 5 000 meter above(City Planning from 5.000 meter above the ground )

THE PLANNERS :PLANNING FROM ABOVE AND FROM A DISTANCE

Brasilia (1955- )

Brasilia -The people scale is completely neglected

Downtown, Dubai

THE ARCHITECTS : MORE AND MORE FOCUSSED ON FORM

Downtown, Dubai

Brooklyn, New York – Residences: Frank Gehry

THE TRAFFIC PLANNERS: MAKING ROOM FOR THE TRAFFIC

THE TRAFFIC PLANNERS: MAKING THE CARS HAPPY

All Cities have TrafficAll Cities have Traffic Departments and perfect statistics concerning traffic and parkingand parking*Th i ibl dThe cars are very visible and everpresent in the planning p p gprocess

Landscape Architects: Looking after the landscape?

Who, by the way, look after the People Landscape The Human Dimension – The City at eye level ?

Do you know of any City department for pedestrians and public life?pedestrians and public life?

Hardly any City has statistics and dataHardly any City has statistics and data concerning the people who use the city

The people in the City tend to be very invisible and poorly represented in the planning processp a g p ocess

”Welcome to the New London” (Norman Foster)

Enjoy yourself in EuroLille (Rem Koolhaas)

Welcome to the Riverside and please enjoy!!!

Old Housing area (1905) Copenhagen, Denmark

Uninteresting

Cope age , e a

Uninteresting City Plan Scale

But a really nice d i itiand inviting

People Scale

The most important scale of all is People ScalePeople Scale

The City at eye level and at 5 km/hy y

2010 Aft 50After 50 years: Another changeAnother change of Paradigmof ParadigmWANTED:WANTED: - Lively City

Attractive City- Attractive City - Safe City

Sustainable City- Sustainable City - Healthy City

“CITIES FOR PEOPLE” (sept 2010) ( p )The neglected dimension

Lively City

Attractive City

People Scale, Less Stress, Less Noise, Less Pollution + a City p ydominated by Attraction No. 1: PEOPLE

Safe citySafe city

Sustainable City

A good Public Realm is a crucial factor for good Public Transportation

Healthy City

“H t th Cit ith th“Houston - the City with the fattest people of the World”

INVITATIONSINVITATIONSINVITATIONS INVITATIONS TOTOTO TO

THE CITYTHE CITYTHE CITYTHE CITY

More Roads = More Traffic

Taking down Freeways, San Francisco, USAg y , ,

Seoul, Korea

beforebefore

after

London – Congestion Charge 2003

Congestion charge area - 24 square kilometers

On a citywide network of bicycle lanesBicycling in CopenhagenOn a citywide network of bicycle lanes

An efficient, citywide transportation system

Bicycles are taken straight through the g gstreet crossings and the lanes are marked with blueblue.

Bicycle signals turn greensix seconds before the car signals.

Trains & Metro welcomingwelcoming bicycles

Everybody bikes

Cello and bass players cycle

A 92All Age Groups bicycle: from 5-85+

Age 92

Mother in law: age 85

The Danish Crown Prince is doing it too

Two guys on the road towards the thronePrinces Frederik and Christian on theirChristian on their way to the day care

50% Australian kid !

Even AustraliansEven Australians can learn to bicycle if they start early!

Bicycling has doubled in 10 years

Going to work in the City of Copenhagen

37% use bicycle37% use bicycle27% drive car33% use public transit5% walk

70% continue to bike in the winter

Major complaint : Congestion…On the bicycle lanes!

Copenhagen From traffic place to people placep p p p

Strøget (main street) pedestrianized 1962pedestrianized 1962

Jane Jacobs 1961

Strøget Copenhagen p gpedestrian st. 1962

In 1962 all 18 squares were parking lots h ll l‐ now they are all people squares

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

The development of pedestrian areas in the city from 1962…7 times more People Space!

Many more People are walking in the city

4 times more people spend time in the city

I l 40 th d h bIn only 40 years the good season has been extended from 2 to 10 months

Copenhagen Street: 2 Copenhagen Street: 2 Sidewalks, 2 proper bicycle Sidewalks, 2 proper bicycle lanes street trees 2 laneslanes street trees 2 laneslanes, street trees, 2 lanes lanes, street trees, 2 lanes for 2 way traffic, and a for 2 way traffic, and a substansubstan-- tial median to tial median to f ilit t i thf ilit t i thfacilitate crossing the facilitate crossing the streetstreet

““We do not ha e to thinkWe do not ha e to think““We do not have to think We do not have to think and act as 1960s traffic and act as 1960s traffic engineers for everengineers for ever. T. Times imes are changing and traffic are changing and traffic engineers are by now much engineers are by now much smarter”smarter”smartersmarter

Sidewalks and bicycle lanes are taken across sidestreets, making the city more comfortable and people friendly!

Copenhagen: New Public Life Policy 2009: Copenhagen: New Public Life Policy 2009: “THE “THE WORLD’S FINEST CITY FOR PEOPLE”WORLD’S FINEST CITY FOR PEOPLE”Consultants: GEHL ArchitectConsultants: GEHL Architect

Among the goals: “Everyone to walk 20% more by 2015!!!”Among the goals: “Everyone to walk 20% more by 2015!!!”

Melbourne, - 3 mil. Inh.

The Age c. 1980

Places for PeoplePlaces for People1994 1994

Places for PeoplePlaces for Peoplepp2004 2004

www.gehlarchitects.dkwww.gehlarchitects.dk

MELBOURNE City Center 1994-2004

P d t i t ffi kd d ti 40%Pedestrian traffic weekdays daytime: +40%Pedestrian traffic evening: +100 %Stationary activities: +200-300%

RetailRetail

ResidentialResidential

Office VacanciesOffice Vacancies

EmploymentEmployment

Bars and PubsBars and Pubs

Copenhagen M lb O t 07Copenhagen Melbourne Oct. 07

A CITY GOOD AT PARTIES, OLYMPICS and SUMMITS…

… BUT NOT SO GLORIOUS FOR THE EVERYDAY LIFE

Main Street in Sydney to be transformed to pedestrians bicycles and light railto pedestrians, bicycles and light rail

Present situation George St. after conversion

9th Ave. Apr.08

9th A S 089th Ave. Sep.08

20052005

20092009

Broadway Boulevard23 May 2009y

“When you can make it there you can make it yanywhere,New York, New York !!”

WELCOME TO THE 21st CENTURY