Grounding campus planning in public life year-round
Gehl partnered with the University of Toronto St George campus to deliver a Public Space & Public Life study (PSPL), building on recent and ongoing public realm and planning initiatives. The PSPL study was conducted as part of the UTSG Campus Plan, which will guide future growth across the campus.
The study goals were to (1) Document how people move, gather, and engage on campus throughout different seasons, academic rhythms, campus operations, and events, (2) Assess how the quality of campus spaces influences behavior and overall user experience, and (3) Identify opportunities for improving existing open spaces and creating new ones to enhance the Public Realm Plan. The study also serves as a baseline against which future surveys can be compared after implementation of pilot or other capital projects.
Gehl led the design and implementation of the survey across multiple seasons, combining observational surveys, site walks, spatial analysis, and collaborative workshops with project partners. Using Gehl’s PSPL App and customized spatial survey tools, the team documented patterns of movement, staying, and activity across a wide range of campus streets, quads, lawns, courtyards, and edges. Gehl also trained and coordinated volunteer surveyors with the client team and managed data collection, processing, and synthesis into concise reports.
The project produced a robust baseline of public life and public space data, translated into clear findings, visualizations, and recommendations, equipping the university with actionable evidence to inform public realm planning, campus master planning, and future investment decisions. By grounding strategic discussions in observed human behavior, the study supports a more inclusive, functional, and people-centered evolution of St. George campus.
