David Sim Partner Creative Director
Cities for People & Cities by People
David Sim 1971
Me lego
Gehl <
We approach our work both as social scientists and designers
Theory into practice
Gehl makes cities for people
København
San Francisco
New York
Around 80 employees and 3 offices in Copenhagen, San Francisco & New York
Pragmatic Idealists
Gehl is an urban design practice focused on 'Making Cities for People’
Gehl — Making Cities for People
Masterplanning Frameworks
We work globally with the challenges cities face
Top 5 urban challenges The five most significant general challenges facing your city today
Transport
Employmen t
Population Growth
Governanc e
Finance
All of which share the same denominator:
People
Source; LSE Cities ‘Going Green Report 2012’. Cities surveyed all over the world on what their top 3 challenges are
We advise ...
Foundations
Mayors & City administrators
Int. Org. UN, WHO, IADB etc.
NGOs
Private Companies
Developers
‌ on strategies to reach their goals while improving quality of life for people
strategic team
Transforming public space in New York
Times Square - before
Times Square - after
design team
Finding new ways to deliver density
The first new town in side a National Park
New Road Brighton CABE Conference - London March 2008
20
First shared-space in the UK
CABE Conference - London March 2008
21
cities for people
Better everyday life
cities by people
Taking people on the journey‌
Urban Interventions Mar del Plata, Argentina
GEHL Pop-Up Office in Torre Tanque, Mar del Plata
Cities for peope Task Force Municipality of Mar del Plata
GEHL Pop-Up Office in Torre Tanque, Mar del Plata
Cities for peope Task Force Municipality of Mar del Plata
Car dependent
Low pedestrian priority
Studying people’s behavior and needs
Democratic distribution of space?
Movement along the street
Space given to different user groups
Pilot projects -Improved pedestrian & bicycle amenities -Increased pedestrian & bicycle safety -Better connections with public transport -Dialogue with citizens and merchants
Pilot Project
40% MORE space for people
12
parkin g spaces
116
seating places
New activity on the street
Behavior Change after test project • 15% more pedestrians • 50% more activity – half of this is seating on public benches
Gehl
A 90% majority voted to keep and extend the pilots
Evaluation of first stage Quantitative survey: 15% increase in pedestrian numbers 25% increase in stationary activities 40% more space for pedestrians
Opinion poll: 89% thinks the intervention is good/ very good 66% approved interventions + 10% approved with modifications 73% Increased sense of pedestrian safety
Urban Interventions Sao Paolo, Brazil
Praça Ouvidor – Largo São Francisco
Few people spending time - Key findings before
Standing
Secondary seating
2013 BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION
Average activity = 53 Majority is people standing Seating is limited to secondary seating
Not a very inviting square
Ventilation shaft fences and poor maintenance
Jaywalking, parked vehicles and no crossing
Student life is not visible in the public space
Suggested placing of new activity areas, seating and active edges
Largo Sรฃo Francisco and Praรงa Ouvidor e Silva - Today
Largo Sรฃo Francisco and Praรงa Ouvidor e Silva - Vision
Largo Sรฃo Francisco and Praรงa Ouvidor e Silva - Vision, nighttime activity
Crossing the street
Goal: to a well connected place‌.
... and active, vibrant square with both day and evening activity for all
Silva
BEFORE
Opening: chefs served good quality food at an inexpensive price
Reduction in jaywalking and more pedestrians2013 2014
100 Crossing street % unsafe
9%
Crossing street outside of new designated crossing area
Largo São Francisco and Praça Ouvidor e Silva From uninviting corner to active square – Before and after
Existing kiosk becomes part of the new square
everyday activity
Lunch break, rest under the shade - Free Wi-Fi
event activity
Event calendar and public outreach
Social media #praiapaulistana #praiaurbana
Stories, Impact - Memes of Mayor Haddad – SP Beach!
Social media There is excitement about SĂŁo Paulo finally having a beach
On facebook, there are lots of comments comparing the deck with a beach. #praiapaulistana #praiaurbana #spbeach
CENTRO ABERTO
“This playground was a good surprise for us. We had some doubts before implementing it. But in the first day - a Saturday - since the first kid discovered the new playground it has been packed�
Human scale?
In search of Human scale?
High Density doesn’t have to mean High Rise
Completing the heart of Lille
St. Sauveur — In 2013, Gehl together with an extensive local team of technical experts, won the international competition to lead the development and transformation of a former goods station in central Lille ‌
Vision The 57-acre A real piece of sitecityisin terms to of fabric and become a urban life new neighborhood of 5,000 inhabitants, and a city district with work places, shops, education,
Planning with the needs of people in mind
S
The apartment Quality housing
M
The building Knowing your neighbor
L
The block A shared community
XL
The quarter A lively neighborhood
Linking to the surrounding s
Creating a destination park - Le Parc de la VallĂŠe
1
2
4
A public space network for everyday life
3
Flexibility to add future destination
A resilient neighborhood
5 6
Creating a beating heart in the developmen t
Keeping the existing train hall for coworking + manufacturi ng
A development defined by it’s public spaces
The people’s choice