New City Life

Published by Arkitektens Forlag - The Danish Architectural Press, 2006 | ISBN 8774073656

available also in Danish

New City Life tells the story of the gradual development of industrial society’s essential city life to the elective city life of a leisure and consumer society. Where city life was once a necessity and taken for granted, today it is an option. For that very reason this is also the story of a transition from a time when the quality of city space did not play much of a role in its use to a new situation in which quality is a crucial parameter.
Contemporary experience shows that when quality city space is provided it attracts an extensive and multifaceted city life with many new features that reflect the changes in society. Now as before city space is the framework for people’s meetings, the society and each other.
In a society where concepts such as democracy, diversity and security are important dimensions, the extended use of city space must be seen as a valuable advance. And for the same reason, modern requirements for good city space quality must be honoured.
Now as before, facilitating the meeting between people is the most important collective function of the city.
New city life with its demands for good city space is a new guise for one of the most important aspects of city culture. This book is based on the comprehensive and detailed study of city life in Copenhagen over the past four decades, conducted by the Center for Public Space Research at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Extract from the Book Cover

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CONTENTS

New city life
From necessary to optional activities

The city changes
The city’s development

Life in the city
Fixed, flexible and fleeting
City life and the outdoor season
Communication and exchange
Movement in city space
City life expands

City space for everyone
The city as a democratic meeting place

City spaces
City space qualities
Movement and staying space
Introducing the types of space described
Urban strollways
Main city space
Local city space
Secluded city space
Ceremonial city space
Deserted city space
Transport hubs
Green city space
Staged city space
Temporary city space
Aquatic city space
Waterfront city space
City space for play and sport

New challenges

Appendix
Illustrations and photos
Project team

ABOT THE AUTHORS

Jan Gehl, born in 1936. Architect, Professor at the Center for Public Space Research, School of Architecture, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Partner of Gehl Architects - Urban Quality Consultants. International teaching includes universities in Edinburgh, Vilnius, Oslo, Toronto, Calgary, Melbourne, Perth, Berkeley, San Jose, Guadalajara and Cape Town, and consultancies for London, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Wellington, Riga and Amman. Jan Gehl has been awarded the “Sir Patrick Abercrombie Prize for Exemplary Contributions to Town Planning” by the International Union of Architects, as well as an honorary doctorate from Heroit-Watt University in Edinburgh.
Lars Gemzøe, born in 1945. Architect, Senior Lecturer at the Center for Public Space Research, School of Architecture, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Lecturer at DIS, Denmark’s International Study Program. Associate partner of Gehl Architects - Urban Quality Consultants. Visiting professor at universities in New York, Montreal, Rouen, Hanover, Bogotà and Montevideo. Lectures at universities and conferences in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia.
Sia Kirknæs, born in 1970. Architect, Research assistant at the Center for Public Space Research, School of Architecture, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Previous employment as Urban designer/municipal Planner for the City of Gladsaxe, Denmark. Lectures at universities and conferences in Europe, North America and Australia.
Britt Sternhagen Søndergaard, born in 1967. Architect, Research assistant at the Center for Public Space Research, School of Architecture, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Previous employment as Urban designer/ municipal planner for RIA, City of Copenhagen.

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