Contact us

Dive into our reports and publications

Credit: Buenos Aires City Government

Life between buildings

Towards More Physical Activity in Cities

Transforming public spaces to promote physical activity — a key contributor to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Europe.

Transforming public spaces to promote physical activity — a key contributor to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Europe.

Life between buildings

A Guide to Inclusion and Health in Public Spaces

Gehl, the former Gehl Institute, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) developed the Inclusive Healthy Places (IHP) Framework in 2017 to help guide the creation of equitable, healthy places.

Gehl, the former Gehl Institute, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) developed the Inclusive Healthy Places (IHP) Framework in 2017 to help guide the creation of equitable, healthy places.

Cherry Street Pier — a waterfront arts space in Philadelphia — saw a more than threefold jump in foot traffic from November 2019 to November 2020 — based on the site’s 2019 counts and Gehl observational data. “During COVID-19, people were stir-crazy,” says artist-in-residence Jim Abbott. “Bringing their families down, their dogs, their bikes, exercise classes and coaches. The area is on the map.” Credit: Cherry Street Pier

Life between buildings

Adaptive Public Space: Places for People in the Pandemic and Beyond

Building on its longtime commitment to public spaces, Knight Foundation commissioned Gehl to conduct an impact assessment of seven public spaces in its portfolio.

Building on its longtime commitment to public spaces, Knight Foundation commissioned Gehl to conduct an impact assessment of seven public spaces in its portfolio.

Credit: Gehl

Life between buildings

Soft City: Being Neighbors

How do we build genuine community? And what is it about the design of our cities, towns and neighborhoods that can foster this?

How do we build genuine community? And what is it about the design of our cities, towns and neighborhoods that can foster this?

Credit: Buenos Aires City Government

Life between buildings

Soft City: Soft is Hard to Break

As urbanists, we tend to focus on the hardware of cities. Here, David Sim argues for more attention and care to the software, the intricate details and programming that helps people encounter one another on a daily basis.

As urbanists, we tend to focus on the hardware of cities. Here, David Sim argues for more attention and care to the software, the intricate details and programming that helps people encounter one another on a daily basis.

Credit: Gehl

Life between buildings

Soft City: Layering Life

Urban life is in constant flux. In this excerpt from Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life, David Sim promotes diversity as a tool for social, economic and ecological resilience.

Urban life is in constant flux. In this excerpt from Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life, David Sim promotes diversity as a tool for social, economic and ecological resilience.

Credit: Gehl

Life between buildings

Soft City: The Time of Your Life

Proximity to the places and people that we frequent on a daily basis has a huge influence on one’s quality of life. In Soft City, David Sim breaks down the relationship between different components of everyday urban life.

Proximity to the places and people that we frequent on a daily basis has a huge influence on one’s quality of life. In Soft City, David Sim breaks down the relationship between different components of everyday urban life.

Food systems

Houston Foodscape Strategy

Public life study in Alief and Asiatown to develop a healthy foodscape strategy.

Public life study in Alief and Asiatown to develop a healthy foodscape strategy.

Credit: Gehl

Food systems

Ajuda Foodscapes Study

Exploring the intersection of food systems, public spaces, and community well-being in Ajuda, Portugal.

Exploring the intersection of food systems, public spaces, and community well-being in Ajuda, Portugal.

Food systems

Philadelphia Foodscape Strategy

Developing strategies to enhance quality of life and food security.

Developing strategies to enhance quality of life and food security.

Credit: Gehl.

Life between buildings

Social Infrastructure: Connecting People and Places for Thriving Communities

Lessons learned for the United States on how to better define, invest in, and sustain social infrastructure in communities.

Lessons learned for the United States on how to better define, invest in, and sustain social infrastructure in communities.

Credit: Gehl.

Food systems

Bogotá Healthy School Environment Pilot

Designing spaces that foster healthier communities and dignified access to health information.

Designing spaces that foster healthier communities and dignified access to health information.