Jan Gehl (1987/2011), Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space

Washington - Covelo - London: Island Press, ISBN: 978-1597268271

Jan Gehl (2010), Cities for People

Washington - Covelo - London: Island Press, ISBN: 978-1597265737

Reviewed by:

Beatriz Campos

Space Syntax So Paulo

So Paulo, Brazil

J
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Pages: 125-128

book review book re

The Journal of Space Syntax
ISSN: 2044-7507
Year:

2012

http://www.journalofspacesyntax.org/

volume: 3

issue: 1

Online Publication Date: 13 August 2012

J
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Book Review:
Jan Gehl (1987, 2011 revisited ed.), Life Between Buildings:
Using Public Space
Washington - Covelo - London: Island Press, ISBN: 978-1597268271

Jan Gehl (2010), Cities for People

Washington - Covelo - London: Island Press, ISBN: 978-1597265737

Reviewed by

Beatriz Campos
Space Syntax So Paulo
So Paulo, Brazil

Life Between Buildings,

2011 revisited edition

Jan Gehl is a Danish architect who, in parallel to

his academic career, has worked through his ar-

Photo source:
< http://islandpress.org/ip/
books/book/islandpress/L/
bo8036913.html >

chitectural practice on the design of public spaces

and urban regeneration projects all over the word,
including Brighton, Newcastle and London.1 His
interest in the quality and performance of public
spaces started with a research grant from Royal

Notes:

Danish Academy of Fine Arts for studies on the

E-source, available at: <

http://www.gehlarchitects.
com/?#/165291/ > [Accessed 8 June 2012]

form and use of public spaces. Since then Gehl

has published extensively; his success in injecting
outdoor life into northern European cities has led

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 a car.

to worldwide impact of his design guidance (Gehl,

1987; Gehl & Gemze, 2004, 2000; Gehl et al.,
2006; and Gehl, 2010). This review focuses on two
of his books: Life Between Buildings (2011, revised

edition) and Cities for People (2010).

The highly influential Life Between Buildings
was first published in 1971 with the first English
translation in 1987, whilst this review considers the
reissue of the book in its sixth edition last year. The
book examines the relationship between patterns of
space use, specifically outdoor activities, and the
spatial properties of the physical environment. Gehl
promotes a straightforward approach to improving
urban form, which is derived from systematically

The book is divided into four main chapters,

documenting the performance of urban spaces and

which range from general to specific models. In

analysing what factors influence their use. Gehl uses

Chapter 1 Life Between Buildings Gehl intro-

the human dimension as the starting point for his

duces the concepts of necessary, optimal and

analysis2 and measures the success of the urban

social activities (Gehl, 1987, p.9), which sets the

environment by quantifying the levels of pedestrian

background for his analysis on the urban environ-

flows, levels and length of stationary activity - includ-

ment physical properties. To support his ideas, Gehl

ing human contact and social interaction.

also examines the spatial properties of traditional

Gehl makes a timely observation when referring to Trafalgar Square: The pedestrian landscape of the square
in the 1970s consisted of
48 islands that pedestrians
could walk between, in contrast to the situation seen
on old photographs, where
pedestriansmove
across
the square in a natural and
leisurely fashion in all directions (Gehl, 1987, p.139).
Refer also to: Space Syntax
(2003 and 2005) Trafalgar
Square consultancy reports
for Foster and Partners and
Hillier (1998).

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Volume 3 Issue 1

spatial components which will enhance or reduce

pedestrian flows across and around the public
space: building heights, orientation of entrances,
multifunction areas and active frontages, density,

Cities For People, 2010

Photo source:
< http://islandpress.org/ip/
books/book/islandpress/C/
bo8038192.html >

modes of transport (pedestrians and cyclists), accessibility and visibility from immediate surrounding
areas (Whyte, 1980; Hettiarachchie, 1987). It is

Notes:

here that Gehl acknowledges that well-functioning

pedestrian systems facilitate the shortest distances

between natural destinations and makes a rather
compelling argument about the failure of Trafalgar
Square before its redevelopment.3
Lastly, Gehl is aware that for public spaces to
be lively and successful they need to have a combination of both moving and stationary activities. In
Chapter 4 - Spaces for Walking, Places for Staying
medieval public spaces (such as dimensions and

- Gehl focuses on static activities and the physical

detailed design) and relates the identified common

elements that will make people not only stop but

denominators to the success or failure of contempo-

also spend time with the space. According to Gehl,

rary examples. He then discusses the introduction

the design of individual spaces and of the details,

of contemporary urban city planning principles and

down to the smallest component, are determining

the reasons why the 20 century design ideas, such

factors to quality of public spaces (Gehl, 1987,

as functionalism (Gehl, 1987, p.43), were central to

p.129). Gehl also discusses preferable areas for

the lack of vitality in street life.

sitting and standing as well as the edge effect4 and

th

In Chapter 2 - Prerequisites for Planning - Gehl

the correlation between static occupancy and levels

analyses the physical properties of human senses

of pedestrian movement 5. Interestingly, although

(such as smell, hearing, seeing) and social dis-

Gehl does refer to Sittes work (Gehl, 1987, p.43),

tances. Like many other authors (Sitte 1889, 1945;

one of the few typologies which is not explored is

Alexander et al., 1977; Lynch, 1971), Gehl believes

the concept of enclosure and irregularity principles.6

there must be a correspondence between the dimension of a public square and a sense of place

Cities for People was published in 2010 and it

(Cullen, 1961). If squares are too big for the number

is, to a degree, a revised version of Life Between

of users, they will feel empty. This leads to a further

Buildings. In addition to the elements previously

idea: the self-reinforcing process where individual

discussed, Gehl examines issues such as sustain-

events stimulate others:

ability, shared spaces, mixed use, sense of security,

If activities and people are assembled, individual

events will stimulate one another (Gehl, 1987,
p.107).

usability and levels of pedestrian comfort. Like in his

In line with Gehls argument on the importance

gradual incremental improvements, then document-

of the self- reinforcing process, in Chapter 3 To

ing them again to demonstrate what makes public

Assemble or Disperse Gehl examines a series of

spaces alive. Throughout the book, Gehl explains

previous book - Gehl uses systematic and empirical

observations of patterns of space use, often making

The edge effect (Gehl,

1987, p.159) is widely acknowledged by a number of
different researchers. In fact,
Gehl adopts this terminology
from De Jonge (1967). De
Jonge, after observations on
static occupation in a series
of recreation areas (such as
parks and roadside resting
places) claims that other
things being equal, the parts
of the areas near the main
entrances are parking areas
and used more intensively
than the distance parts
This phenomenon can been
called the edge effect. According to Gehl, the edge
is the preferred location for
standing or sitting when
people first occupy the borders and edges of the public
spaces, and only once they
are fully occupied, do people
tend to move inwards. The
edge effect exists because
people prefer to sit in areas
facing the pedestrian flow,
and therefore the location on
the boundary of the public
spaces will provide the best
views, with extensive and
richer visual fields. Gehl suggests that benches that provide a good view of the surrounding activities are used
more often than benches
with less or no view of others
since human activities are
the main attraction for users
of public spaces. Although
Gehl makes a distinction,
claiming that the location for
sitting is chosen more carefully than standing, he points
out that the edge effect is observed in both cases. Refer
also to Alexander et al. (1977
op cit.) and Marcus and
Francis (1990).

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Book Review:
Life Between Buildings
& Cities for People
Campos, B.

Notes:

the methods and tools he believes are necessary to

human dimension as the starting point for the

reconfigure public spaces into the environment he

design of the urban environment is inspirational.

believes they all should be: urban meeting places,

Both books are engaging, logical and rich in case

places for social cohesion and interaction.

studies, which illustrate Gehls approach. If Life

Gehl produced a survey

of patterns of space use in
public spaces in Stroget,
Denmark. He notes that the
levels of static occupancy of
public spaces had dramatically increased over a period
of twenty years and all available squares of good quality were filled to capacity
every day. He concludes that
the main reasons for determining the quality or usability
of each space are closely related to its location in relation
to the main pedestrian flows,
which had also dramatically
increased in the previous
twenty years, meaning that
the static occupancy had increased in direct proportion
to the levels of pedestrian
movement.
6

A very common interpretation is that liveable public spaces should observe

enclosure and irregularity
principles, which were derived from studies of traditional medieval squares.
Sitte (1889 op cit.), Unwin
(1909) and Zucker (1959)
regard enclosure, defined
by the grouping of architectural masses around an open
space, as the fundamental
property of public spaces.
Only enclosed spaces could
provide the users a sense
of well-being, comfort and
pleasure,
and
therefore
would ultimately determine
the preference by the public
for such spaces.
7

See Chapter 4 Cities as

Movement Economies in
Hillier (1996) and Stonor
(2009).

The book follows a similar structure to Life Be-

Between Buildings was and still is an outstanding

tween Buildings. Chapters 3 and 4 are possibly the

contribution to the subject, Cities for People, despite

two chapters that the readers of JOSS might find

addressing a number of current issues, could have

the most innovative and significant. When stressing

been more engaging and informative about how the

the importance of mixed use and active frontages,

spatial morphology of the urban grid shapes the

Gehl points out that mixed functions provide more

performance of urban spaces.

activities around the clock bringing safety and

Nevertheless, both books are a must-read for

protection to both residents and visitors to the

students, designers, as well as anybody interested

surrounding public space. As for shared spaces:

in the performance of public spaces and the urban

Gehl is sympathetic with the idea and recognizes

environment as a whole.

its benefits, however he points out that although

mixing traffic (pedestrian, cyclists and vehicular)
is possible, mixed traffic solutions must prioritise
pedestrians.
Gehl also examines the positive relationship
between well-functioning urban areas and sustainability. However, the significance of sustainability is centred on the responsible management
of resources and health benefits. Gehl does not
examine the social and economic benefits of sustainable city centres as a result of what adequate
accessibility brings to pedestrian movement and
trade as presented in the seminal work of Hillier
and colleagues7. Another missed opportunity is
the lack of reference to city life as an outcome of its
emergent morphology and the role of urban spatial
configuration, both at local and global levels, on
the performance of public spaces (Arruda Campos, 2000). The space syntax methodology as a
design tool and its functionality, which allows the
correlation of spatial elements and social variables
is paramount for understanding public spaces,
mainly the correlation between configuration and
pedestrian movement flows and stationary activity
(Hillier et al., 1993).
There is no doubt that Gehl understands the
mechanisms behind life between buildings. Gehls

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References
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Cullen, G. (1961), Townscape, London: The Architectural

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