Jan Gehl

{{Infobox architect

| name = Jan Gehl

| image = Jan Gehl 2006.jpg

| caption = Jan Gehl in 2006

| nationality = Danish

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1936|9|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Copenhagen, Denmark

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater = Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture

| practice = Gehl Architects

| significant_buildings =

| significant_projects =

| significant_design =

| awards = {{Nowrap|Sir Patrick Abercrombie Prize (1993)
Civic Trust Award (2009)
Global Award for Sustainable Architecture (2015)}}

}}

Jan Gehl Hon. FAIA (born 17 September 1936, Copenhagen) is a Danish architect and urban design consultant based in Copenhagen whose career has focused on improving the quality of urban life by re-orienting city design towards the pedestrian and cyclist. He is a founding partner of Gehl Architects.

Biography

Gehl received a Masters of Architecture from the School of Architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK) in Copenhagen in 1960, and practiced architecture from 1960 to 1966. In 1966 he received a research grant from KADK to study " the form and use of public spaces"; his book Life between Buildings (1971) reports his studies of public life in public spaces, and develops his theories about how city planning and architecture influence public life. He became a professor of urban planning at KADK, and a visiting professor around the world.{{cite web|title=Exhibition "Changing Mindsets" - Jan Gehl's Life of Work|url=https://www.dki.lv/exhibition-changing-mindsets-jan-gehls-life-work/|website=Danish Cultural Institute|date=16 October 2017 |accessdate=25 October 2017}} He co-founded Gehl Architects in 2000 with Helle Søholt, held a Partner position until 2011, and remains a Senior Advisor.{{cite web|title=Jan Gehl|url=http://gehlpeople.com/people/jan-gehl/|website=Gehl|accessdate=25 October 2017}}

As a "young architect working in the suburbs," Gehl married a psychologist and "had many discussions about why the human side of architecture was not more carefully looked after by the architects, landscape architects, and planners... My wife and I set out to study the borderland between sociology, psychology, architecture, and planning."[http://www.metropolismag.com/html/content_0802/ped/index_b.html Paul Makovsky: Pedestrian Cities: An interview with Danish architect Jan Gehl on how public spaces work. in Metropolis Magazine August/September 2002], Retrieved 16 October 2010 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404182123/http://www.metropolismag.com/html/content_0802/ped/index_b.html |date=4 April 2005 }}

Influence

Image:New Road, Brighton - shared space.jpg, awarded the UK Civic Trust Award]]

Gehl first published his influential Life Between Buildings in Danish in 1971, with the first English translation published in 1987. Gehl advocates a sensible, straightforward approach to improving urban form: systematically documenting urban spaces, making gradual incremental improvements, then documenting them again. In 2012 the book is translated into a film by the same name, exhibited in a 24 meters curved room at the "New Nordic Architecture" exhibition Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and later at the Venice Biennale for Architecture.{{cite web|url=http://www.lifebetweenbuildingsfilm.org/|title=Life Between Buildings|access-date=2020-11-26|archive-date=2021-06-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622102414/http://www.lifebetweenbuildingsfilm.org/|url-status=dead}}

Gehl's book Public Spaces, Public Life describes how such incremental improvements have transformed Copenhagen from a car-dominated city to a pedestrian-oriented city over 40 years. Copenhagen's Strøget carfree zone, one of the longest pedestrian shopping areas in Europe.The first section of Strøget was transformed to a pedestrian street on 17. November 1962, and Gehl used it as a living lab for observing peoples use of public space. Later his influential reports and books led to a collaboration with the City of Copenhagen and its political shift towards promoting predestrian zones and bicycling.{{cite web | url=http://cphpost.dk/news/copenhagenizing-the-world-one-city-at-a-time.3321.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812212925/http://cphpost.dk/news/copenhagenizing-the-world-one-city-at-a-time.3321.html | archive-date=2014-08-12 | title='Copenhagenizing' the world, one city at a time |website=The Copenhagen Post }}

Gehl participates in and advises many urban design and public projects around the world:

In 2004 he carried out an important study in to the quality of the public realm in London, commissioned by Central London Partnership and Transport for London, and supported City of Wakefield and the town of Castleford in developing and delivering better public spaces, as part of an initiative known as "The Castleford Project".
In 2007–08 he was hired by New York City's Department of Transportation to re-imagine New York City streets by introducing designs to improve life for pedestrians and cyclists. The DOT used Gehl's work to "directly inform" the implementation of their new urban planning and design policies and projects.

{{Cite web

|url= http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2008/pr08_049.shtml

|title= New York City DOT Releases World Class Streets Report, Calling for Enhanced Public and Pedestrian Space

|date= 2008-11-14

|work= New York City Department of Transportation

|accessdate= 2009-12-24}}

Gehl has been influential in Australia and New Zealand as well, where he prepared Public Life studies for the city centres of Melbourne (1994 and 2004),[http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=228&pg=715&st=499 Melbourne 'Places for People'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614152426/http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=228&pg=715&st=499 |date=2011-06-14 }} Perth (1995 and 2009),[http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/web/Council/Plans-and-Projects/Current-Plans-and-Studies/ City of Perth – Public Spaces Public Life] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919160919/http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/web/Council/Plans-and-Projects/Current-Plans-and-Studies |date=2009-09-19 }} Adelaide (2002)[http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/adccwr/publications/reports_plans/public_spaces_public_life.pdf City of Adelaide – Public Spaces and Public Life 2002] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912164651/http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/adccwr/publications/reports_plans/public_spaces_public_life.pdf |date=2007-09-12 }} Sydney (2007),[http://cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/development/cityimprovements/roadsandstreetscapes/PublicSpacesSurvey.asp Sydney CBD Public Life and Public Spaces Survey] Auckland (2008),{{Cite web |url=http://knowledgeauckland.org.nz/assets/publications/Auckland_Public_Life_Survey_2010_Part_1.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-09-17 |archive-date=2018-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204142554/http://knowledgeauckland.org.nz/assets/publications/Auckland_Public_Life_Survey_2010_Part_1.pdf |url-status=dead }} Wellington (2004),{{Cite web|url=http://wellington.govt.nz/services/environment-and-waste/urban-development/city-to-waterfront-study/gehl-report|title=Gehl Architects report - Public Spaces and Public Life Study 2004|date=22 November 2012|publisher=Wellington City Council|accessdate=9 July 2015}} Christchurch,{{Cite web|url=http://www.ccc.govt.nz/cityleisure/projectstoimprovechristchurch/publicspacepubliclifestudy/index.aspx|title=Jan Gehl Public Space Public Life Study (Christchurch 2009, Public Space Public Life)|last=Gehl|first=Jan|year=2010|publisher=Christchurch City Council|accessdate=19 February 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227085323/http://www.ccc.govt.nz/cityleisure/projectstoimprovechristchurch/publicspacepubliclifestudy/index.aspx|archivedate=27 February 2010}} Launceston and Hobart (2010){{Cite web|url=http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Hobart/A_City_with_People_in_Mind|title=Hobart – A City with People in Mind|publisher=Hobart City Council|accessdate=10 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119070632/http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Hobart/A_City_with_People_in_Mind|archive-date=19 November 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

Gehl credits the "grandmother of humanistic planning" Jane Jacobs for drawing his attention to the importance of human scale. “Fifty years ago she said – go out there and see what works and what doesn’t work, and learn from reality. Look out of your windows, spend time in the streets and squares and see how people actually use spaces, learn from that, and use it.”Anderson-Oliver, M. (2013) [http://assemblepapers.com.au/2013/06/13/cities-for-people-jan-gehl/ "Cities for people: Jan Gehl"], Assemble Papers, 13 June 2013

Awards and distinctions

1992 Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University{{Cite web|url=https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/docs/honorary-graduates-1966-present.pdf|title=Heriot-Watt University Honorary Graduates|last=|website=www1.hw.ac.uk|access-date=2018-02-27|archive-date=2016-10-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021204205/https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/docs/honorary-graduates-1966-present.pdf|url-status=dead}}
1993 Sir Patrick Abercrombie Prize – for exemplary contributions to Town Planning and Territorial Development, International Union of Architects{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
1998 EDRA Award, Environmental Design Research Association, USA{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
2007 Honorary Academician, [http://www.academyofurbanism.org.uk The Academy of Urbanism], UK
2008 Landscape Institute Award, Landscape Institute, UK{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
2008 Honorary Fellow of American Institute of ArchitectsAIA College of Fellows, Red Book Directory [https://issuu.com/aiacollegeoffellows/docs/faia_20directory 2017 AIA College of Fellows History & Directory]. 2017 Edition
2009 NYC Award, New York City, USA{{Cite web |url=http://www.gehlarchitects.com/index.php?id=343957 |title=NYC Award presented to Jan Gehl |access-date=2009-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009112145/http://www.gehlarchitects.com/index.php?id=343957 |archive-date=2011-10-09 |url-status=dead }}{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
2009 Civic Trust Award for Brighton New Road Civic Trust, UK
2011 Prince Eugen Medal for outstanding artistic achievement in architecture, Denmark{{cite web|url = http://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/royalfamily/latestnews/2011/2011/kingpresentsprinceeugenmedal.5.70e7de59130bc8da54e800013317.html|title = King presents Prince Eugen Medal|publisher = Royal Court of Sweden|accessdate = 28 February 2018|archive-date = 24 August 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170824221126/http://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/royalfamily/latestnews/2011/2011/kingpresentsprinceeugenmedal.5.70e7de59130bc8da54e800013317.html|url-status = dead}}
2013 C.F. Hansen Medal{{cite web|url=http://www.akademiraadet.dk/index.php?id=95|title=C.F. Hansen Medaillen|publisher=Akademiraadet|accessdate=27 February 2018|language=Danish|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202093758/http://www.akademiraadet.dk/index.php?id=95|archive-date=2015-02-02|url-status=dead}}
Design Futures Council Senior Fellow
2015 Global Award for Sustainable Architecture{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Global Award for Sustainable Architecture|url=https://www.citedelarchitecture.fr/en/article/global-award-sustainable-architecture|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-02|website=Cité de l'architecture & du patrimoine|language=en}}
2018 Athena Medal, Congress for the New Urbanism{{Cite web |last=amckeag |date=2015-06-11 |title=Athena Medals |url=https://www.cnu.org/what-we-do/athena-medals |access-date=2022-06-25 |website=CNU |language=en}}

Selected publications

Gehl, J (1987) Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space, translated by Jo Koch, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. ({{ISBN|978-87-7407-360-4}})
Gehl, J. and Gemzøe, L. (2000) New City Spaces, The Danish Architectural Press. Copenhagen. ({{ISBN|978-87-7407-293-5}})
Gehl, J. and Gemzøe, L. (2004) Public Spaces, Public Life, Danish Architectural Press. ({{ISBN|978-87-7407-305-5}})
Gehl, J. et al. (2006) New City Life, The Danish Architectural Press, Denmark. ({{ISBN|978-87-7407-365-9}})
Gehl, J. (2010) Cities for People, Island Press. ({{ISBN|978-1597265737}})
Gehl, J. and Svarre, B. (2013) How to Study Public Life, Island Press

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20110529083731/http://www.gehlarchitects.com/ Gehl Architects, Copenhagen]
[https://www.transportxtra.com/rudi/intelligence-education/design-classics/45956/life-between-buildings/ Complete text of "Life Between Buildings" Chapter 1 in English]
[http://www.channel4.com/castleford The Castleford Project, an innovative urban revitalization program in Yorkshire, UK]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20050310051745/http://www.metropolismag.com/html/content_0802/ped/index.html Metropolis Magazine 10-step program for pedestrianizing Copenhagen]
[http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/11/07/its-not-a-law-of-nature/ Streetsblog.org report: "Jan Gehl: Gridlocked Streets Are “Not a Law of Nature”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706201707/http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/11/07/its-not-a-law-of-nature/ |date=2008-07-06 }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20100316131419/http://www.gleeds.tv/index.cfm?video=402 The Royal Institute of British Architects, International Dialogues: Architecture and Climate Change talk presented by Jan Gehl](video)
[http://www.archdaily.com/174721/danish-design-interview-jan-gehl/ Jan Gehl interview] from ArchDaily
[http://assemblepapers.com.au/2013/06/13/cities-for-people-jan-gehl/ Assemble Papers profile: "Jan Gehl: Cities for People"]
[http://thehumanscale.dk/ "The Human Scale"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701095553/http://thehumanscale.dk/ |date=2013-07-01 }} (2012), a documentary on the work of Gehl Architects, by director [http://thehumanscale.dk/the-director/ Andreas Møl Dalsgaard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618222530/http://thehumanscale.dk/the-director/ |date=2013-06-18 }}
[http://blog.colinmarshall.org/?p=1978 An interview with Jan Gehl] on Notebook on Cities and Culture