URBACT TALK: CITIES FOR PEOPLE

Camilla VAN DEURS, Architect MAA, PhD, Partner in Gehl Architects, External Professor of Urban Design KUA, Boardmember Danish Architects Association

Title of Your Presentation 2

GEHL ARCHITECTS - URBAN QUALITY CONSULTANTSA SMALL MULTIDICIPLINARY OFFICE IN COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

Three questions…

1. Can you measure what you care about?Measure systems and characteristics of things or measure people and outcomes (health, happiness, safety).

Create design and policy incentives that foster sustainable behavior

WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHY SOME PLACES ENDS UP BECOMING UNINTERESTING, UNSAFE AND DESERTED

… WHILE OTHER PLACES ARE INCLUSIVE, INSPIRING, SAFE AND LIVELY

57 countries in 5 years

Public Space-Public Life Studies- Across geography

Summer weekday

Copenhagen 1968, 1986, 1995 and 2005

UDVIKLINGEN AF GÅGADER I INDRE KØBENHAVN

Who is invited to the city?Number of cafe chairs throughout Copenhagen inner city

The number of café chairs rose by 61% between 1986-1995

The number increased by another 47% between 1995-2005

Number of parking spaces in Copenhagen inner city

23% of inner city parking was removed between 1986-1995

Another 13% was removed between 1995-2005

Brighton New Road beforeShared spaces in cities….

… and after

TRAFFIC SAFETY AUDIT 93% REDUCTION IN MOTORISED TRAFFIC - CAR SPEED FALLEN TO <13MPH22% INCREASE IN CYCLING, 150% INCREASE IN PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY600% INCREASE IN LINGERING ACTIVITY

2. WILL PLANNERS AND ARCHITECTS HAVE A LARGER ROLE IN PUBLIC HEALTH THAN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS?

Mexico City

Time spent in traffic average 4 hours

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

USA

Canad

a

United

King

dom

France Ita

ly

German

y

Sweden

Austri

a

Netherl

ands

Switzerl

and

Denmark

Per

cent

of

Obe

sity

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Per

cent

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Wal

k, C

ycle

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Pub

lic T

rans

itObesity Walk, Cycle, Public Transit

Source: Pucher and Dijkstra, “Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health, Am Journal of Public Health, Sep 2003.

Courtesy of Gil Peñalosa

37%

Physical health improves – cycling everyday makes you live longer

•Studies show physical activity is more important than weight for health

•Danish studies show cycling regularly for 20 years can increase your life span by 7 years

Money invested50% earned in 7 extra years of productive life

20% saved on fewer days of illness

30% on health care savings

3. CAN WE SHIFT THE DISCOURSE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY?

ØRESTAD IS FULL OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS –BUT IS IT SUSTAINABLE AS A WHOLE?

A CITY OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS?CROWNE PLAZA - WORLD’S FIRST NET ZERO HOTEL

Green Key

Net Zero

Carbon Neutral

A CITY OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS?DOES ØRESTAD ADDRESS SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND HOLISTICALLY CONCEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS?

Should we be focussing on Livability instead?

Sustainability is about the viatality of the planet tomorrow A global issue

Livability is about the lifestyle of people today A local issue

Case : Christchurch

Before November 2009City Mall

After March 2011City Mall

DRAFT RECONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR CHRISTCHURCH

A DISTINCTIVE CITYDISTINCTIVE CITY PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK FROMWHICH A WELL-DESIGNED CENTRAL CITY WILL DEVELOP.

AVON RIVER PARK/PAPAWAI ŌTAKARO

We can exemplfy change rather than lobby for it!

Urban prototyping as a way to ensure effective use of resources, time and money

WORLD CLASS STREETSGEHL ARCHITECTS UNDERTAKES A PUBLIC SPACE & PUBLIC LIFE SURVEY. THE WORK IS PUBLISHED BY DOT 2008

PUBLIC SPACES ARE HARD TO GET TO

Columbus Circle - before

Columbus Circle - after

The pilots focused on areas where success was most likely –People cycled already and traffic was minimal

Times Square - before

Times Square - after

40% decrease in pedestrian injuries in Times Square

74% of New Yorkers say Times Square has improved dramatically

42% of NYC residents shop in Times Square more often

84% more people are lingering (eg. Reading, eating)

The percentage of area employees satisfied with the Times Square experience increased by 72% (from 43% to 74% of those surveyed)

Thank you!

Camilla van Deurs – Gehl Architects

Partner, Architect MAA, PhD

External professor of Urban Design, KUA

Boardmember, Danish Architects Association