“A good city is like a good party – people stay much longer than really necessary because they are enjoying themselves”
So says Jan Gehl, the Danish architect who has been the brains behind Copenhagen’s transformation to a City for People and now advises New York City.
So what is a Good City?
Jan Gehl describes types of activities that happen in cities in his excellent study of Adelaide:
- Necessary Activities (Things we have to do)
- Optional Activities (Things we want to do)
- Social Activities (Interacting with others)
A Good City makes Necessary Activities enjoyable, and makes it as easy and pleasant as possible to do both Optional and Social Activities.
Nyhavn, Copenhagen - Great for Optional and Social Activities
Come back next week and I’ll describe how Jan Gehl suggests the transformation to a good city can happen.
What do you think of Jan Gehl’s ideas?
