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Life Between Buildings

Life Between Buildings

Using Public Space

by Jan Gehl · 6th Edition · 2011 · Island Press

Book / Urban Design Reference Urban Design & Planning Public Space & Human-Centered Urbanism Intermediate

A foundational guide to understanding how the design of streets, squares, and public spaces influences people's activities, movement, social interaction, and everyday urban life.

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Title: Life Between Buildings
Subtitle: Using Public Space
Author / Editor: Jan Gehl
Type: Book / Urban Design Reference
Edition: 6th Edition
Year: 2011
Publisher: Island Press
ISBN: 978-1-59726-827-1
Slug: life-between-buildings

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Summary

an Gehl examines the relationship between the physical environment and human activities in public spaces. The book distinguishes necessary, optional, and social activities and explains how building edges, pedestrian spaces, seating, climate, scale, and urban form can encourage people to stay, move, meet, and interact.

Key takeaways

  • 1.Public spaces should be designed around human activities and everyday behavior.
  • 2.Human-scale environments can encourage walking, staying, and social interaction.
  • 3.Necessary, optional, and social activities respond differently to the quality of public space.
  • 4.Active building edges can strengthen the relationship between buildings and public spaces.
  • 5.Comfortable seating, climate, shelter, and pedestrian conditions influence people's willingness to stay.
  • 6.Small-scale spatial qualities can have a significant effect on urban life.
  • 7.Streets and squares should support pedestrians rather than prioritize movement alone.
  • 8.Successful public spaces provide opportunities for seeing, meeting, talking, and participating in everyday activities.

CreaCore Insight

Good urban design begins with understanding how people actually use space. Designing at the human scale can transform streets and public areas from circulation zones into active social environments.

Practical application

Useful for urban design, plaza and street design, pedestrian planning, campus planning, mixed-use developments, public-space analysis, and evaluating the human-scale qualities of architectural projects.

Good to know

Who it's for: Architecture Students, Architects, Urban Designers, Landscape Architects, Planners, Urban Design Researchers

ISBN: 978-1-59726-827-1

Topics

Public Space Urban Design Human-Scale Design Pedestrian

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