It began with a love story

Observing people in Italy

Ingrid and Jan Gehl get a grant to research people in cities

In 1965, Jan Gehl receives a grant for a six-month study trip and travels to Italy along with his wife, psychologist, Ingrid Gehl. Together they take on the task of investigating the interaction between public space and public life.
While in Italy, they amass and observe many ‘best practice’ examples and gain inspiration away from the newly built ‘lifeless’ suburbs which were emerging in Denmark during this period.
Jan and Ingrid’s early studies in Italy, of registering movement and behavior, as well as the identification of ‘life’ patterns in urban spaces, formed the basis for Jan’s books, research and the foundation of Gehl Architects.

Copenhagen as the laboratory

Jan Gehl, alongwith his colleagues and students undertake the first ‘Public Space Public Life’ analysis

The first Copenhagen studies were conducted by Jan Gehl, as well as colleagues and students from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, in Copenhagen. The studies were extensive, taking place over various seasons — summer, fall, spring and winter — as well as during the day, evenings, weekdays and weekends. The purpose of this lengthy process was to begin to understand the patterns of life which were taking place in the public spaces and to test methods with which to study these patterns. The findings from the first larger, systematic study of the city center was presented in the Danish magazine ‘Arkitekten # 20/1968’.
Copenhagen was used as the laboratory for these studies. At a later date, the collaboration between the School of Architecture and the City was formalized. This was also the beginning of the tradition of working closely with cities.

Architecture, psychology and urban planning

Jan and Ingrid Gehl share the core ideas behind a more ‘human centered’ approach to urban planning

In this article, published in the Danish newspaper BT, the ideas behind merging architecture and psychology are presented. Jan and Ingrid, Architect and Psychologist, discuss the core reasons behind why human behavior should be considered and used as the starting-point for architecture.
The debate on how we build cities and whether or not they are for cars, people or both, reaches a broad audience in popular media, and contributes to a public debate about the social and psychological perspectives of architecture.
In 1971, the year Jan Gehl, publishes ‘Life Between Buildings’, Ingrid Gehl publishes the book ‘Living Environment’ (Bo-miljø).

‘Life Between Buildings’ is introduced

Jan Gehl publishes his first book, a compilation of theories and thoughts, amassed from his study trips and research

‘Life Between Buildings’ is published in Danish in 1971. Another 16 years (1987) would pass before the book is translated to English.  After its first publication, the book slowly begins to resonate in the academic world and with the public. “Life Between Buildings” would go on to be translated and published into more than 20 languages.
‘Life Between Buildings’ was written as a reaction against the new modernist suburbs which clearly demonstrated the lack of life between the buildings.

‘Public Space Public Life’ survey in Oslo

Jan Gehl and his team conduct their first public space analysis of Oslo’s city center

The first ‘Public Space Public Life’ Analysis of a city center, conducted outside of Denmark, was done in Oslo in the late 1980’s. The study applies the methods developed in Copenhagen in the late 1960’s, for making people more visible in the planning process.
The Oslo study marks the move from academia to practice, which is then further established with the formation of Gehl Architects in 2000.
Since 1987, a new Public Space Public Life Analysis (2012-2014) has been carried out in Oslo.

Gehl Architects is established

Helle Søholt and Jan Gehl start-up Gehl Architects, with the vision to transform theory into practice in cities around the world

Architect Helle Søholt and Professor Jan Gehl establish Gehl Architects and further transform Jan’s 40 years of extensive research into practice, with the aim of creating cities for people.
Since the foundation of Gehl Architects, Helle and Jan have been involved in countless international city-based projects and have received numerous prizes for their work in making cities more livable and sustainable around the world.
The research tradition started by Jan while at the School of Architecture is continued through Gehl Institute, which is focused on evolving Jan’s early research, through the delivery of Masterclasses, development of books, workshops and other communication platforms.

Gehl Architects goes global

The London PSPL Analysis marks a milestone for the firm, as this is the first time Gehl works in a mega city, on a global scale

In 2003, Transport of London and Central London Partnership commissioned Gehl Architects to conduct a study of the public spaces and public life of London. This was the first time Gehl’s Public Space Public Life Analysis was conducted in a megacity, and new tools had to be developed to encompass the large-scale urban agglomeration.
Due to London’s size it was not possible to conduct a study of the whole city. Instead an acupuncture model was developed, where sites were strategically selected. Since London, Gehl Architects have been involved in running PSPL Analysis in megacities around the world, including Mexico City, Sao Paolo, Shanghai, among many others.
The mayor of London at that time, Ken Livingstone, made the London report, ‘Towards a Fine City for People’, a central part of his election campaign for his second term, marking the first time that a Gehl report was moved to the political level in a mega city. Earlier, the city of Copenhagen had also used the reports as a political tool, but in a more indirect manner.
The analysis didn’t bring about immediate visible change, but has influenced the way planners, politicians and others think and talk about London as a place for people.

New York City ready for change

Gehl Architects works with the City of New York on their ‘PlaNYC’ project, which aims to create a better quality of life for New Yorkers

Between 2007 and 2009, various’ of New York’s iconic public spaces, like Times Square and Herald Square, undergo a radical transformation. Spaces are reclaimed for pedestrian life and bike lanes are introduced. The city is ready for a new generation of urban spaces for people, following the vision introduced through ‘PlaNYC – A Greener, Greater New York’ by the City of New York.
Throughout this period of transformation, Gehl Architects works with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to promote quality of life and livability in the city, via urban realm recommendations, design guidelines and implementation strategies. The resulting pilot projects offer a more lively, attractive, safe and healthy New York City.
The collaboration with New York City and the fast, impressive results created by the city, have been of great inspiration for Gehl. The resulting work with large scale 1:1 pilot projects were increasingly integrated in other Gehl projects around the world. The pilot projects reflect the need for visible results and an approach that recognizes that building urban environments is a complex matter that has to be adjusted and has a lot to do with changing human behavior.
On the process of change in NYC, Janette Sadik-Khan, Former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation states:

‘A Metropolis for People’

Inspired by Jan Gehl and Gehl Architects’ focus on creating cities for people, The Municipality of Copenhagen publishes ‘A Metropolis for People’ — a vision to become the world’s most livable city.
After 40 years of research and 10 years of practice, Jan Gehl and Gehl Architects’ ideas for developing cities for people are integrated into the core thinking and practice of how Copenhagen is and will be managed in the future.

New classic published

‘Cities for People’ becomes the new classic, highlighting further ideas and examples, post ‘Life Between Buildings’

Although ‘Cities for People’ is Jan Gehl’s fifth publication, the book has become one of the most sought-after resources on planning cities for people.
“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.” — Island Press

From product to process

As the roles of cities change, so does the role of Gehl Architects

In 2011 after more than 10 years of practice, Gehl Architects was hired by the City of Gothenburg as a partner for a large harbor-front development, called Rivercity Gothenburg. The process is complex and far from finished, but so far Gehl has been part of the process on many levels: delivering concrete input for plans, as workshop facilitator, and as a sparring partner drawing on the knowledge gained over the years from working with a variety of cities.

As society changes, so does the role of cities — shifting from authorities to facilitators of change. Over the years, the role of Gehl Architects has also changed with the evolution of services and working with a broader range of clients, including philanthropies, developers, universities, and enterprises. Gehl’s new partners have been instrumental in expanding our services to address the complex urban challenges faced by both public and private sectors. 

‘The Human Scale’

A documentary by Andreas M. Dalsgaard, inspired by Jan Gehl and Gehl Architects is released

Human Scale” by Andreas M. Dalsgaard is released in 2012, inspired by the theories and practice of Jan Gehl and Gehl Architects. After a successful launch at the Venice Biennale and at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, the documentary has gone onto be screened around the world and has received many awards and accolades for its subject matter and its’ relevance as a discussion tool for cities, towns and villages which are struggling with the complexity of a growing population and the provision of quality of life.

How-to Guide Book

‘How to Study Public Life’ provides an in-depth exploration of the field of studies which are available for understanding life in public spaces. Much like a how-to guide, this book offers readers concrete tools and stories while reviewing the historical perspective of urban pioneers, such as Jane Jacobs, William H. Whyte, Donald Appleyard, among many others, who since the 1960’s have set out to learn more about the interaction between life and the built environment.
Post its launch, ‘How to Study Public Life’ has been selected by Planetizen’s top 10 must reads of 2014.

A people focused national architecture policy

Danish government launches the architecture policy ‘People at the Center’

Over the years, ‘planning for people’ has served as the cornerstone of Jan Gehl and Gehl Architects’ work. It is therefore very inspiring and encouraging that the new National Architecture Policy for Denmark emphasizes the need for a ‘putting people first’ approach to architecture, thereby making it a national political goal.
In the policy, the ‘putting people first’ is understood across sectors, disciplines, and in the broadest sense, not only as buildings or structures. The policy underlines the influence that the built environment has over our quality of life, which according to the Minister of Culture, Marianne Jelved, stated that people must be placed at the center of planning:

Partner Group expands international profile

As Gehl’s work and influence continue to grow, Americans Blaine Merker, John Bela, and Matthew Lister join Gehl’s Partner Group.

Gehl is awarded Shanghai’s highest honor

The award represents an important milestone for Gehl’s continued engagement in China

The Municipal Government of Shanghai awarded the Magnolia Award to Kristian Skovbakke Villadsen, Partner & Director at Gehl. The Magnolia Award is given as a means to encourage and recognize foreign experts for their outstanding contributions to Shanghai’s economic construction, social development and foreign exchanges.
The prestigious award recognized Gehl’s collaboration with the City of Shanghai and the Energy Foundation to introduce ‘people-first’ projects over the last decade. Foremost projects include the Shanghai Street Design Guidelines, the Livability and Green Mobility Strategy for the Huangpu River’, and the Huangpu River Development Strategy ‘Towards a people oriented waterfront’.
The award represents an important milestone for Gehl’s engagement in China, one that will increase in coming years.

Soft City book

David Sim showcases the ways density can enable a better everyday urban life

Gehl Creative Director David Sim authors Soft City, the latest addition to the Gehl family of literature.
Soft City is the story of how to build denser and more diverse places that enhance the everyday life of people. An antidote to the increasing complexity of urban life, the book showcases grounded principles and solutions that combine to create livable neighborhoods and vibrant public life.
“In Soft City, David Sim draws from his great experience working on projects on all continents and in all corners. You will benefit from his outstanding ability to see, to observe, and to reflect upon the scenes from life and cities. Soft City is an important addition to the growing literature on people-friendly architecture and city planning. Indeed, architecture and city planning need to be quite a bit more soft. Here is a good place to start.” — Jan Gehl

Gehl’s 20th birthday

Twenty years dedicated to the development of a human scale, people-first approach to cities

Twenty years ago, together with Jan Gehl, we began this successful company. Then with Jan at the ripe age of 64, following a life-long academic career, and Helle Søholt at the age of 28, full of energy to change the world. From a small office in central Copenhagen to the international, networked company we are today, we have persistently and enthusiastically worked to make cities for people globally.
From the beginning, Gehl has been a company dedicated to the development of a human scale, people-first approach to cities. Delivering a range of urban strategy and design services, grounded in urban data and insights of people’s behavior in space. As a company, and as a team, we have been through many stages of development. First, as advocates for a change of paradigm in urban planning. Later, as leaders of a people-first approach to urban strategy and design. Now, as change agents ensuring transformation and long-term impact through dedicated partnerships with our clients and collaborators.

Esben Neander Kristensen joins Gehl Partner Group

Director and Team Lead, Esben Neander Kristensen joins Gehl’s Partner Group, bringing a strong voice within the Masterplanning and Urban Design space to the executive table

With over 7 years of experience at Gehl, Esben has become central to the development of Gehl’s approach and methods, particularly within the masterplanning and urban design services. An extensive portfolio of projects under his arm, Esben leads Copenhagen’s Global Design team, and is responsible for Gehl’s work with developers and public authorities in the planning of large scale urban developments.

Gehl × kyu Collective

Gehl joins the world’s leading creative agencies as part of the kyu Collective

On 31st January 2022, Gehl became a part of the prestigious kyu Collective. Representing a major milestone in Gehl’s development, kyu is a purposefully curated member organization that facilitates new thinking and collaboration to the world’s most pressing challenges and opportunities.
Gehl is the first dedicated urban strategy and design firm at kyu, supplementing the likes of IDEO, a world-class design and innovation firm; Sid Lee, a multi-award-winning creative and marketing agency; SYPartners, the leading expert in transformational management consulting; Kepler, a market leader in digital media; BEworks, the leader in behavioral economics-based consulting, and Godfrey Dadich Partners, a pioneer in storytelling.

New partners

Julia D Day, Ghigo DiTommaso, Liselott Stenfeldt, and Anna Muessig join the Partner group.