Interviews, deep dives, and the odd ramble
Life between buildings
The Built Environment and Emotion
The built environment shapes how we feel, yet we often overlook the emotional impact of our surroundings.
The built environment shapes how we feel, yet we often overlook the emotional impact of our surroundings.
City making
Can Architecture Tackle Our Greatest Global Challenges?
Social impact strategies and assessments often lag behind in the pursuit of sustainable development across the Gulf region. Drawing on Gehl’s experience working in the Gulf, we share why these strategies and assessments should be seen not as optional extras, but as essential components of every real estate project.
Originally a four part series for Danish television, the international documentary, Great Architecture on a Small Planet, sets the scene for why architecture is important in tackling some of our greatest global challenges.
City making
Closing the Gap: Social Impact Strategies and Assessments
Social impact strategies and assessments often lag behind in the pursuit of sustainable development across the Gulf region. Drawing on Gehl’s experience working in the Gulf, we share why these strategies and assessments should be seen not as optional extras, but as essential components of every real estate project.
Social impact strategies and assessments often lag behind in the pursuit of sustainable development across the Gulf region. Drawing on Gehl’s experience working in the Gulf, we share why these strategies and assessments should be seen not as optional extras, but as essential components of every real estate project.
Life between buildings
The Collective Roundtable: Talking Health
Health experts from around kyu talk about the current health landscape, the challenges they face, and look towards the future.
Health experts from around kyu talk about the current health landscape, the challenges they face, and look towards the future.
Life between buildings
Designing Cities for Our Youngest Residents to Thrive
A people-first approach to cities takes all community members’ needs and experiences into account, including the smallest amongst them. Here we take a look at why city planning and design should focus on children and their caregivers to promote child-friendly cities that benefit everyone.
A people-first approach to cities takes all community members’ needs and experiences into account, including the smallest amongst them. Here we take a look at why city planning and design should focus on children and their caregivers to promote child-friendly cities that benefit everyone.
Planetary health
Designing in Symbiosis With People, Places, and the Planet
Gehl’s people-first approach has always assumed the ecological impact of its work.
Designing in Symbiosis With People, Places, and the Planet
Food systems
Shaping Thriving Foodscapes
The Thriving Foodscape Approach considers the role that the built environment can play in promoting a paradigm shift in our food system — moving away from a world where the design of our cities harms our health and damages the planet.
Shaping Thriving Foodscapes
Life between buildings
Cities After Sunset: How the Holy Month of Ramadan Reimagines Public Life
Ramadan is a time of deep personal reflection, spiritual renewal, and community connection. It’s also a time when cities — especially across the Gulf and many parts of the muslim world — shift their rhythm.
Cities After Sunset: How the Holy Month of Ramadan Reimagines Public Life
Life between buildings
Maintaining Our Public Spaces to Maintain Our Democracy
When Alexa Bush started a collaborative park design process in the Fitzgerald neighborhood, Detroit was in transition.
Maintaining Our Public Spaces to Maintain Our Democracy
Movement
Andreas Røhl on All Things Mobility
Moving people efficiently from A to B has always been one of the greatest challenges facing cities.
Moving people efficiently from A to B has always been one of the greatest challenges facing cities.
Planetary health
The Key to Solving Emissions Is Close to Home
Cities are home to more than half the world’s population — and responsible for around 70% of global carbon emissions. But even as the world keeps urbanizing, our consumption of space keeps increasing.
Cities are home to more than half the world’s population — and responsible for around 70% of global carbon emissions. But even as the world keeps urbanizing, our consumption of space keeps increasing.
City making
Pedestrian-Friendly Streets: How Human-Centered Urban Design Boosts Communities and Local Economies
During and after the pandemic, open streets rightfully garnered more attention as a legitimate and permanent public space offer. Here, Julia Day reflects on their benefits.
During and after the pandemic, open streets rightfully garnered more attention as a legitimate and permanent public space offer. Here, Julia Day reflects on their benefits.
City making
Building Inclusive Urban Spaces: Engaging Youth in the Planning Process
Jeff Risom reflect on how an honest conversation with a group of teenagers in South London has opened his eyes to a new dilemma: the ‘agefication’ of our cities.
Jeff Risom reflect on how an honest conversation with a group of teenagers in South London has opened his eyes to a new dilemma: the ‘agefication’ of our cities.
Technology
Soft Tech, Human Values: How Gehl is Reimagining AI in Urban Planning
Embracing softness and human empathy in the age of AI innovation.
Embracing softness and human empathy in the age of AI innovation.
Life between buildings
Workplace Design and the Future of Work
The rise and fall of urban offices puts into question our relationship with work, home, and city life. Here, Gehl’s Brett Merriam spells out how a new approach to workplace design can revive our urban centers.
The rise and fall of urban offices puts into question our relationship with work, home, and city life. Here, Gehl’s Brett Merriam spells out how a new approach to workplace design can revive our urban centers.
Life between buildings
We’re Using Our Streets All Wrong
Times Square, one of the world's most iconic intersections, was originally designed primarily for cars, not people, despite 90% of its users being pedestrians.
We’re Using Our Streets All Wrong
Life between buildings
How to Build Neighborhoods We Actually Like
The design of neighborhoods can often leave people feeling isolated and disconnected.
How to Build Neighborhoods We Actually Like
City making
How is paying attention to social infrastructure the key to an inclusive city?
Team Director Ida Bigum revisits the concept of the inclusive city, emphasizing that social infrastructure can be just as important as the types of homes we build when it comes to fostering social mixing.
Team Director Ida Bigum revisits the concept of the inclusive city, emphasizing that social infrastructure can be just as important as the types of homes we build when it comes to fostering social mixing.
Movement
5 Key Points to Seeding Mobility Culture Change
The best thing micromobility advocates can do for safety is to get more people riding bikes and scooters on the street.
The best thing micromobility advocates can do for safety is to get more people riding bikes and scooters on the street.
Planetary health
How Climate Action is Unlocked by Behavioral Tipping Points
Meaningful climate era change means meaningful lifestyle changes. But how do we encourage transformation that sticks?
Meaningful climate era change means meaningful lifestyle changes. But how do we encourage transformation that sticks?
Life between buildings
Fostering Community Through Urban Kindness
Understanding the interplay between urban environments and human interactions, Senior Project Director, Jeff Risom, explains how cities look after us and how we can contribute to their success.
Understanding the interplay between urban environments and human interactions, Senior Project Director, Jeff Risom, explains how cities look after us and how we can contribute to their success.
Life between buildings
Promoting Choice and Wellbeing Through Thoughtful Urban Planning and Design
A well-curated and coherent public realm provides choices in people’s everyday lives. Where more choice exists, one’s agency increases — something that is a prerequisite for happiness in all its forms.
A well-curated and coherent public realm provides choices in people’s everyday lives. Where more choice exists, one’s agency increases — something that is a prerequisite for happiness in all its forms.
Our Story
It began with a love story
A love story between an architect and a psychologist that questioned why architecture had little concern for people, and why no one was really looking at the relationship between people and their natural habitat — the city.