For more than forty years Jan Gehl has helped to transform urban environments around the world based on his research into the ways people actually use'or could use'the spaces where they live and work. In this revolutionary book, Gehl presents his latest work creating (or recreating) cityscapes on a human scale. He clearly explains the methods and tools he uses to reconfigure unworkable cityscapes into the landscapes he believes they should be: cities for people.
Taking into account changing demographics and changing lifestyles, Gehl emphasizes four human issues that he sees as essential to successful city planning. He explains how to develop cities that are Lively, Safe, Sustainable, and Healthy. Focusing on these issues leads Gehl to think of even the largest city on a very small scale. For Gehl, the urban landscape must be considered through the five human senses and experienced at the speed of walking rather than at the speed of riding in a car or bus or train. This small-scale view, he argues, is too frequently neglected in contemporary projects.
In a final chapter, Gehl makes a plea for city planning on a human scale in the fast- growing cities of developing countries. A “Toolbox,a presenting key principles, overviews of methods, and keyword lists, concludes the book. The book is extensively illustrated with over 700 photos and drawings of examples from Gehl's work around the globe.
Foreward and Preface
Chapter One- The Human Dimension
1.1 The human dimension
1.2 First we shape the cities- and then they shape us
1.3 The city as meeting place
Chapter Two- Senses and Scale
2.1 Senses and scale
2.2 Senses and communication
2.3 The shattered scale
Chapter Three- A lively, safe sustainable and healthy city
3.1 The lively city
3.2 The safe city
3.3 The sustainable city
3.4 The healthy city
Chapter Four- The city at eye level
4.1 The battle for quality is oin the small scale
4.2 Good cities for walking
4.3 Good cities for staying
4.4 Good cities for meeting
4.5 Self-expression, play and exercise
4.6 Good places, fine scale
4.7 Good weather at eye level, please
4.8 Beautiufl cities, good experiences
4.9 Good cities for bicycling
Chapter Five-Life, space, buildings- in that order
5.1 The Brasilia Syndrome
5.2 Life, space, buildings- in that order
Chapter Six- Developing cities
6.1 Developing cities
6.2 The human dimension- universal starting point
Toolbox
Appendix
"...fascinating...Gehl keeps his latest effort engaging from start to finish."
