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Page added on November 1, 2013
Five facts about the human scale
Urban life is as exciting as it is dysfunctional—at least from the point of view of Danish architect Jan Gehl, whose research is explored in a startling new doc.
City Mice. Fifty percent of the world’s population currently lives in urban centres; that’s expected to increase to 80 percent over the next 40 years. That number doesn’t scare Jan Gehl, who argues that lively, healthy, safe and sustainable city living is possible if we leave our cars at home. The architect swears he only drives once every three weeks, and never in urban Copenhagen where he lives.
Prince of Denmark. Considered one of the world’s most influential urban designers, Gehl has spent 40 years studying “the borderland between sociology, psychology, architecture and planning.” He and his wife, a psychologist, spent many years in Italy in the 1960s where they observed and documented how and where people congregated and interacted in small-city centres.
The Power of Two (Wheels). Gehl’s first memory of the bicycle is cycling away from Copenhagen as a boy with his father to escape the Nazi occupation. In later years, cars dominated the city where bikes used to rule; he’s credited with transforming Copenhagen—now home to the world’s longest car-free shopping street—back into a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly mecca.
On Shaky Ground. Gehl and his associates were invited to develop a plan to rebuild downtown Christchurch, New Zealand following the major earthquake there in 2011. The result, which includes lower-rise buildings, is chronicled in the doc.
The Living Is Easy. “Nothing in the world is more simple and more cheap,” Gehl has said, “than making cities that provide better for people.” He says it’s possible to achieve this goal by building good public space, developing good quality public transportation, creating more excitement for the senses and planting lots of vegetation to keep the air clean and cool. To Gehl, Bogata, Colombia—with its bus lanes, strong bike culture, generous green spaces and streets regularly closed to cars—is an excellent example of smart, people-friendly city living that helps the poor majority get around.
12 Comments on "Five facts about the human scale"
Jerry McManus on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 6:37 pm
Funny, no mention whatsoever of the massive amounts of energy, food, and other resources that must be imported from far and wide to make any city a viable place to live.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for bicycle and pedestrian friendly. I personally haven’t owned a car for over 20 years.
I just wish people were able to think about the thermodynamic reality of their situation on a level that is at least slightly above that of a laboratory rat.
DC on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 6:42 pm
Then Calgary better get on it. They can start by stopping the massive outward sprawl that that city encourages it-mainly, by bribing pliable city councillors to allow more of it.
http://globalnews.ca/news/502394/exclusive-video-obtained-by-global-news-reveals-calgary-developers-plan-to-control-city-council/
http://globalnews.ca/news/890419/group-protests-developer-influence-at-city-hall/
For those not familiar with this issue(probably only me and Greg), it gives a rare public glimpse into why North American cities look they way they do-and perhaps exposes it as a lie that cities ‘want development’. Perhaps its because ‘development’ is a result of widespread corruption at the local level, where ‘developers’ buy local officials like they do a piece of land’
GregT on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 7:14 pm
Must be some good drugs floating around Calgary these days………….
J-Gav on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 7:41 pm
I find it strange that Gehl hasn’t also been a preacher and sex counselor at least.
Stilgar on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 9:03 pm
Speaking of big cities, we just went to San Antonio, TX (on business) and on our last day descended into their ‘River Walk’ area which has a manmade river with restaurants on both sides. Barges & boat taxis are available for sight seeing and getting around. It’s a great idea for tourism. Because it’s down below the buildings, it’s mostly shaded, which isn’t a bad idea for hot Texas.
As for whether or not big cities are a problem solver for energy usage, I have no idea except to say we like living in the country where the pop. density is much less.
bobinget on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 10:25 pm
One old saw I always advise people who are thinking of residential real-estate rentals. When a single family house sits out in the open heat radiates from every surface. In a side-by-side duplex heat loss is minimized somewhat. Now, four or six units with adjoining walls, a single attic, roof, foundation.
one really start to realize savings per occupant, per unit.
Building a multi story building uses far less building materials then the same number of detached houses.
There is no doubt city dwellers use much less energy of every sort.
dinopello on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 11:35 pm
There is no need for cities to be as large as the ones everyone seems to point to (New York, Paris etc). These are anomalies and few and far between. A hamlet, village, town etc are all “urban” and are the historic norm for human settlement. I live in a walkable area in the US – walk to work, stores, restaurants, parks, theaters etc and I don’t even live in a city proper, just a neighborhood on a transit line. I do own a car and can go several months without driving although I did this once and had to replace my brakes because they were rusted solid. Car don’t like not being driven.
Stilgar on Fri, 1st Nov 2013 11:41 pm
So the answer to our energy problems is for us to cram into big cities? Hmm, and all this time I thought descending eroei was unavoidable.
Stilgar on Sat, 2nd Nov 2013 12:01 am
So the answer to our energy problems is for us to cram into big cities? Hmm, and all this time I thought descending eroei was unavoidable, regardless of how many fewer ICE passenger miles were driven, because oil has so many other usages, e.g. barge oil for shipping, diesel for trains and trucking, oil for pesticides, cosmetics, plastics, tires, etc. Good to know all we have to do is live closer together.
Stilgar on Sat, 2nd Nov 2013 12:04 am
Sorry for the redundancy. Meant to just post once.
BillT on Sat, 2nd Nov 2013 3:25 am
Denmark… about 5 1/2 million people. A blip on the world scene or the increase in world population in about 3 weeks.
This guy assumes that his little corner of the world, barely above sea level, is the beacon for the rest of humanity. But that is the ‘size’ complex most males have. That is why Hummers sell and huge pickups usually have-not-so-huge owners. ^_^
He seems to be blinded by his ‘qualifications’ and assumes that that makes him intelligent. All it does is tighten the blinders on his ‘specialty’.
Cities will be the first to go at the end of oil. At least huge, functioning cities like today’s. They will be a danger just to enter, from collapsing infrastructure, to the lack of food and potable water. Any building over 10 stories will be abandoned above the 10th floor. No elevators = no use. There I go, rambling again. But most ‘educated’ people don’t think TOTAL systems because these systems are like air. They were ‘always’ there and we assume they always will be. Remember: Assume = ASS U ME.
BillT on Sat, 2nd Nov 2013 3:30 am
dino…where does the stuff come from that feeds your little ‘walkable’ city? Most of it comes hundreds or thousands of miles by oil powered vehicles from oil powered factories, farms, mines and etc. Again, no consideration for TOTAL systems when thinking locally. Does your local area (50 mile diameter) have the resources and means to produce EVERYTHING you now use? If not, it is not going to be the same after oil.