Life Between Buildings – Jan Gehl
Life Between Buildings – Jan Gehl
Three requirements of public spaces: Create desirable conditions for, -Necessary outdoor activities -Optional recreational activities -Social activities
Necessary activities: going to school, work, shopping, waiting for a bus or person, running errands, etc. These activities are, more or less, required for people to participate in.
Optional activities: activities that are engaged only if the person has a desire to do so and the place makes it possible. EX: taking a walk, standing around, sunbathing, people watching, etc. These activities require an inviting atmosphere.
Social activities: depends on the presence of other people. This can be simply seeing and hearing other people. In all instances it evolves from the other two categories.
Fundamentals of a good city: to be able to move easily and confidently; to linger in the city and residential areas; to take pleasure in spaces, buildings, and city life; to be able to meet and get together with other people formally and informally.
If given favorable conditions due to well-planned cities, there is no need for fancy buildings and objects; it will be an enjoyable city based on the spaces between buildings. The buildings only provide support to the atmosphere of the public space. Architecture can stand in the way of desired activity patterns (pg 54). However, the framework can be designed to increase the available possibilities for the interaction of people.
People seek places where there are other people. “People come where people are” – Scandinavian proverb.
People like views of other people. Place benches accordingly. People stop to watch other people more than to look in store windows or other “attractions”
Life inside the buildings and between the buildings is more relevant than the building itself.
Medieval cities and the like are so popular because of the planning of the spaces between the buildings (Prague, Sienna, etc.) Modern cities focus
Three requirements of public spaces: Create desirable conditions for, -Necessary outdoor activities -Optional recreational activities -Social activities
Necessary activities: going to school, work, shopping, waiting for a bus or person, running errands, etc. These activities are, more or less, required for people to participate in.
Optional activities: activities that are engaged only if the person has a desire to do so and the place makes it possible. EX: taking a walk, standing around, sunbathing, people watching, etc. These activities require an inviting atmosphere.
Social activities: depends on the presence of other people. This can be simply seeing and hearing other people. In all instances it evolves from the other two categories.
Fundamentals of a good city: to be able to move easily and confidently; to linger in the city and residential areas; to take pleasure in spaces, buildings, and city life; to be able to meet and get together with other people formally and informally.
If given favorable conditions due to well-planned cities, there is no need for fancy buildings and objects; it will be an enjoyable city based on the spaces between buildings. The buildings only provide support to the atmosphere of the public space. Architecture can stand in the way of desired activity patterns (pg 54). However, the framework can be designed to increase the available possibilities for the interaction of people.
People seek places where there are other people. “People come where people are” – Scandinavian proverb.
People like views of other people. Place benches accordingly. People stop to watch other people more than to look in store windows or other “attractions”
Life inside the buildings and between the buildings is more relevant than the building itself.
Medieval cities and the like are so popular because of the planning of the spaces between the buildings (Prague, Sienna, etc.) Modern cities focus