2010 our cities ourselves booklet

8/8/2019 2010 Our Cities Ourselves Booklet

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2 Our Cities Ourselves ITDP Gehl Architects

Director

David Sim, Architect SAR/MSA

Project Leader

Je Risom, MSc City Design and

Social Science

Project Team

Ola Gustasson, Architect MSA

Henning Thomsen, Architect MAA, MBA

Ewa Westermark,Architect SAR/MSA

CREDITS

Executive Director

Walter Hook

Global Policy Director and Founder

Michael Replogle

Chief of Staff

Aime Gauthier

Technical Director, Urban Design

Luc Nadal

Principal

Michael King

Photo and statistic credits

ITDP, Gehl Architects and

Nelson\Nygaard

unless stated otherwise.


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3Gehl Architects ITDP Our Cities Ourselves

ForewordWhat is this book about?

. . .byemphasizingthe local issue o

livability. . .

Addressing the

global issue osustainability. . .

. . .with mobilityas a linkbetweenthe local and the

global.

Livable today, sustainable for the future

The principles outlined here are intended to inspire us to improve the quality o lie incities today while ensuring their viability tomorrow.

The successul city o the 21st Century will be replete with choices, including non-

motorized, post-ossil uel travel options. Citizens o the world do not want to sit in

bumper-to-bumper trac. They do not want to walk in mud, nor eel threatened on a

simple bike ride to work. They want to be in cities that provide or creative interaction,

aordable living and healthy movement.

Cities that meet the challenge o sustainability will leap ahead o others by attracting

people who demand a healthy and culturally-rich liestyle.

Purpose of this campaign

Sustainability does not have to hurt. Reducing CO2emissions, conserving land, and

making transport more ecient go hand in hand with improving quality o lie. We

aspire to lay the oundation or achieving global sustainability not through uniorm

technological solutions but through a global celebration o local dierence and

innovation based on a common set o principles.

The Our Cities Ourselves program invites design teams rom ten cities around the

world to apply these ten principles to ten unique locations. This book illustrates the

ten principles that lay behind the designs. Our hope is that national and local leaders

worldwide will look to it or inspiration.

The 26th o June, 2010

On behal o ITDP

Walter Hook


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Our Cities Ourselves ITDP Gehl Architects4


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Gehl Architects ITDP Our Cities Ourselves 5

Moving towards sustainable andhealthy lifestyles

1. Road space is a scarce public good intended to

provide access to important locations by the rich and

poor alike. As countries get richer, roads get taken over

by motorists. Pedestrians and cyclists, whether they

are rich or poor, are driven o the roads in ear or their

lives. To return our streets to their basic unction o

equitable access, they need to be redesigned to give

priority to those means o travel that use road space

more eciently, cost less, and generate less pollution

and noise.

2. A growing number o cities around the world are

nding that cultural amenities, great public spaces,

and a high quality o lie are more important than

highways and parking lots to attracting educated young

workers who will orm the backbone o the competitive

21st century economy.

3. Too oten, buildings are designed as symbols o

cultural and political power. In the uture, city residents

will vote with their eet, choosing to live and settle

in cities where the greatest architectural minds

have ocused on creating great places to meet and

congregate, rather than on creating great monuments.

4. Achieving global sustainability isnt about accepting

blame or responsibility or global warming; it is about

making our cities more livable and our economies more

prosperous while reducing carbon emissions.

What we have

in 2010

Shit the ocus

from:

The consequence:Sustainability not seenon the streets

The consequence:Streets become the locus

or sustainability

Trac dominates

society

Economy primarily

based on consumption

Disagreement on

global sustainability

Designing

objects

Economy based

on quality o lie

Choice dominates

congestion

Making

places

Local livability

translates into

global sustainability

What we want

or 2030

to:Remaking our cities or

livability


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Principles overview

Great cities start with great pedestrian

environments. Walking is the most

universal orm o transport.

Bicycles and other

means o people-

powered transport,

like pedicabs are

great or short

trips. Building bike

lanes and slowing

down trac are

key to making it

sae.

Some trips will need to be made by cars. Bymanaging private car use and expanding car

sharing, cities can minimize problems while

creating space or pedestrians, mass and non-

motorized transit.

Mass transit can move millions o

people quickly and comortably using

a raction o the uel and street space

required by automobiles.

Cities need to create incentives to use

cleaner, smaller, quieter, slower and saerdelivery vehicles.

Every journey

beginsand endswith

walking. Streets that

are designedto prioritize

pedestrians can also

improvehealth, economic

activityand safety.

Guayaquil,Ec uador

New YorkCity, USA

Walk the

Walk!

1

Photo:CarlosPardo

Photo:NYCDOT

Barcelona,Spain

Ahmedabad,India

The more cycle

use on streets, the

safer they become. When

a goodbicycle network is

established, people continue

to bikeregardless ofage,

wealth or weather.

Powered byPeople!

2

Photo:CarlosPardo

Photo:MichaelKing

Ahmedabad,India

Johannesburg,South Africa

Comfortable,

safe, high-speed public

transit provides the next

bestop tion towalking or biking.

Mass transport can move millions

of people quickly and comfortably

using a fractionof the fueland

street spacerequired

byautomobiles.

3

Photo:AnujMalhotra

Photo:PhilipMostert

Get on

the bus!

Santiago,Chile

Brighton,UK

4

P

hoto:JeffRisom

Photo:GehlArchitects

Cruise

Control

Managingtrafficincludes

getting smart(using

technology), helping cars

slowdown, paying for

the privilege, and

re-routing traffic.

Dares Salaam,Tanzania

Paris,France

Servicing

the cityin the

cleanest and safestmanne r.Sustainablecities willbecleaner,

quieter,and safer by creating

eco-zones,slow speed zones,and

regulating the times and

places wheregoods can

bedelivered.

5

Photo:JoshCarver


Deliver the

Goods!

!


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Lively cities stack retail on the ground

foor, with residences and oces above, so

the streets are vibrant day and night.

Building on vacant

lots and brownelds

prevents urban sprawl

and makes urban

neighborhoods more

vibrant.

A communitys

history, natural

environment and

ethnic traditions

all contribute

meaningully to

what makes a place

unique. Finding

these elements

and enhancing

them is critical to

distinguishing one

place rom another.

The more connected the blocks, the

shorter the distance between destinations,

making walking and biking more appealing.

Streets and public spaces, i built with

quality materials and are well-designed,

well-maintained, and well-managed, can

last or decades.

Budapest,Hungary

Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Energize

publicspace with

mixed-use development

and ground floor activities.

Mixed-use means you are closer

to everything and places

are safer and livelier

duringallhours.

6

Photo:EnikoBudai

Photo:CesarDuarte

Mix it Up!

Distinguish

bypreserving and

enhancing the natural,

cultural, social, and

historical assetsof the place.

In a globalizedworld, identity

and cultural heritage

becomes acompetitive

advantage.

Seoul,South Korea

Rio de Janeiro,Br azil

8

Photo:LucNadal

Photo:DavidSim

Get Real!

Maximize

the connectivity

of walking trips with

small block sizes and

permeable blocks and

buildings.

Melbourne,Austr alia

Malmo,Sweden

Connect

the blocks!

9


Photo:LarsGemze

Connect the

Blocks!

Build for the

long term. Sustainable

cities bridgegenerations.

Theyare memorable,

malleable,builtfrom

quality materials and

wellmaintained.

New York,USA

Lyon,France

10

Photo:LucNadal

Photo:AnnaModin

Make it

Last!

Paris,France

New YorkCity,USA

7


Photo:LucNadal

Fill it in!

Densify

around transit

stationsand withinthe cityrather than

atthe outskirts.


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2010 2015 2020

Our stories over thenext 20 yearsTalking about aspects of a better life:

Non-motorized and public

mobility have improved-

private car use is downReducing greenhouse gas emissionsthrough changes in liestylesBy 2030, i current trends continue, the world will produce

some 49 gigatons o carbon dioxide. We need to reduce 19

gigatons o CO2 per year to avoid cataclysmic climate change.

The transport sector is responsible or about a quarter o this.

Based on realistic estimates o what is achievable in other

sectors, transport needs to reduce its total CO2 emissions by

at least 3 gigatons. As amilies and municipal leaders work

together to solve their everyday transportation headaches,

they are also bringing down the risk o irreversible climate

change.


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2025 2030

Global CO2 emissionsfrom transport

14 Gigatons

12 Gigatons

10 Gigatons

Business as usual

paradigm shiftregarding transportquality of urban life

Cities have become more socially

inclusive or everyone


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Create great pedestrian environments

We are all pedestrians. Walking is the most natural,

aordable, healthy, and clean way o getting around,

but it requires more than just eet and legs. It requires

walkable streetsthe undamental building blocks o a

sustainable city.

A great walking environment must protect pedestrians

rom motor vehicles. Vehicle speeds need to be

radically slowed or else streets need sidewalks.Sidewalks need to be unobstructed, continuous,

shaded, and well-lit. Vehicle speeds at crossings

must be slowed with tighter turns, narrower lanes,

restrictions on ree turns, and speed bumps. Crossings

should be made saer with leading pedestrian crossing

signals, pedestrian islands and curb extensions that

minimize crossing distances. These acilities need to

be ramped to ensure accessibility or allincluding

a person in a wheelchair or a amily using a stroller.

The pedestrian network should oster the most direct

access to all local destinations, like schools, work,

and transit stations, and should oer choices o

pleasant and interesting routes. Streetscapes should

be thoughtully and artistically designed to draw more

people to walk or both utility and pleasure.

The most successul and best-loved cities in the world

have vibrant and walkable streets. They put great and

constant care into improving them. Great cities start

with great pedestrian environments.

Walk theWalk!

Continuous sidewalks over side streets gives

pedestrians priority. Copenhagen, Denmark.

Canopies create critical shade or walkways.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Ensure simple, direct street crossings always at grade. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Invite people to walk everywhere in the city

Photo: Cesar Duarte


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Connect importantdestinations in a network

Unlike other modes o transport, walking is not simply a

means o getting rom A to B. Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Space or activities and spontaneity invites people to

spend time, which in turn promotes saety, economic

activity and diverse street lie. Paris, France.

Invite people to linger

A high quality network o pedestrian and bike-only streets

called alamedas leaves cars in the dirt. Bogot, Colombia.

Establish main pedestrian boulevards and a subsequent

hierarchy o streets. Melbourne, Australia.

for you:

What does it meanfor the planet:


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63% decrease in tracinjuries

Part o a comprehensive strategy or the public realm

o NYC.

A saer street.

A more spontaneous place.

New York streetsFrom world famous to world class!

Pedestrianizing Broadway

By 2008, the sidewalks in Times Square were so

overcrowded that pedestrians were spilling into the

streets. In May 2009, New York City implemented

the Broadway Boulevard project, which included

new pedestrian zones in Times Square, Herald and

Greenly Squares, and at Madison Square Park. Despite

reclaiming nearly 500,000 t2 (45,000 m2) o public

space rom trac, congestion actually decreased on

most surrounding avenues. Trac injuries ell by 63%

and pedestrian injuries ell by 35%.

Today, Broadway is thriving like never beore. Peoplerom all over the world converge on this amous site to

enjoy its cas, concerts, art exhibitions, yoga classes,

spontaneous snowball ghts, or just to people watch.

A more lively street.

. . .to a space or people!Herald Square-rom a space or cars. . .

Beore Ater

Case StudyPhoto: NYC DOT

Photo: Dan Nguyen via fickr

Photo: NYC DOT

2

orl ClassStreets: emakin New orkCits blic ealm

3

World ClassStreets: Remaking New YorkCitysPublic Realm

L

CLSSST

EETS:

EM

KINGNE

KCIT

S

U

LIC

E

LM

NE

KCIT

E

TMENT

FT

NS

TTIN

World Class

Streets:RemakingNew YorkCitysPublic Realm


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Case Study

Mexico City forPedestriansMexico City has been pedestrianizing streets in the

historic city center to create a walking network o more

than six streets and 4 plazas, providing more than

4.1km o pedestrian streets around the Zocalo, the

main public square in the heart o downtown.

In addition, Paseo de la Reorma keeps its reputation as

one o the worlds most beautiul avenues, connecting

Chapultepecs Castle with the Zocalo where a 2 km

dedicated cycle lane is being constructed. Part o this

avenue has a shaded median lined with sculptures

and, urther down, art becomes urniture that

people can lounge on and relax. Every Sunday thisemblematic avenue is closed to cars in order to become

a public space shared by more than 10,000 cyclists,

pedestrians, skaters, children and amilies.Outdoor cas, street perormances and other activities create a vibrant, people-oriented environment.

Urban urniture is organized to allow places to stop

while ensuring clear access or pedestrians.

Pedestrianized streets break up the large scale street

grid and oer a pleasant walking experience.

Crossings have been improved with wide crosswalks,

bike boxes and narrower lanes or cars.

Beore Ater


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Make cycling convenient

Create a great environment for bicycles

and other non-motorized vehicles

Bicycles and other means o people-powered transport

like pedicabs allow the convenience o door-to-door

travel while using less space and ewer resources. They

are the healthier and more sustainable alternative to

cars and taxis or short trips. Many people will choose

cycling i streets are made sae and comortable. Bike

sharing makes cycling possible or people who dont

have their own bikes with them. Making cycling possible

has allowed some amilies to save up to a third o their

income normally spent on vehicles or transit ares.

The more bicycles on the streets, the saer the streets

become. Segregated bike lanes are needed on higher

speed roads, while on local streets trac calming

and shared street designs are better, allowing trac

to mix at slow speeds. In hot countries in particular,

shade is very important. A great bicycling environment

is one where a child can cycle without danger. A great

bicycling network is one where a cyclist can saely andquickly travel to any destination.

The bike sharing program, Vlib, captured the

imagination o Parisians and visitors alike. Paris, France.

Powered byPeople!

Simple interventions, like adding a ramp to stairs or people using cycles, make crossing more convenient.

Changzhou, China.

Convenient bike parking can acilitate easy transers

between dierent modes. Amsterdam, The Netherlands.


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Make cycling sae

Striping the bike lane through the intersection is a clear

indicator that bike trac is expected and drivers should

watch out especially when turning. Barcelona, Spain.

Create bike lanes separated rom motorized trac.

Beijing, China. for you:


Make cycling un

As a celebration o physical activity-Muvete en

Bici-Move on your bike day. Mexico City, Mexico.

As semi-public transport -Pedicabs.

Barcelona, Spain.

Photo: Eduardo Sepulveda


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Tents, awnings and shelters protect cyclists rom

sun and rain at intersections.

Bollards connected by wire help slow cars down as they

turn right. Cyclists get a let turn arrow and have their

own let turn lane in the protected bikeway.

Case Study

Worlds largestbike shareHangzhou, China

In Hangzhou, some 43% o trips are made by bicycle.

In addition to hundreds o kilometers o dedicated bike

lanes, and a partial bus rapid transit system, Hangzhou

also implemented the rst and largest bike sharing

system in the world.

Since opening, use o the Hangzhou public bike system

has increased rom 0.93 daily rides to 3.27 daily rides

per bicycle. Hangzhous bike-sharing program launched

in October 2008, and has a total o 50,000 bikes and

1,700 stations (most o which are unmanned). City-

owned and operated, the system uses a smart cardintegrated with the citys bus, bus rapid transit (BRT),

and parking systems. The bike-sharing program in Hangzhou has been a success, inspiring other cities to do the same.

Clearly marked bike lanes and special bike stoplights

improve saety or bicyclists.


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Get onthe Bus!

Provide great, cost-effective

public transport

Some trips are too long to make walking or cycling a

viable option. As growing trac rom private cars and

trucks slows down buses, cities need to intervene to

improve their public transit systems. Mass transit

can move millions o people quickly and comortably

using a raction o the uel and street space required

by automobiles.

Because o their comparatively low costs and ast

implementation time, bus rapid transit (BRT) systems

are proving able to keep pace with rapid motorization

and metropolitan growth while providing a service

comparable to metros. Like a metro, BRT combines

high quality stations, including level boarding and real

time inormation systems, with exclusive bus lanes and

clean and comortable high capacity buses. Passengers

pay beore they board, reducing the time it takes or

passengers to get on the bus.

The best transit systems are designed around the

specic needs o their passengers, much as a good

tailor builds a suit to t a specic person. Investing in

mass transit means investing in people.

Promote convenient,cost-eective solutions

Since opening in 2004, TransJakarta BRT system has

expanded to 118 kilometers, or 73 miles. Jakarta,

Indonesia.

Passing lanes allow buses to bypass certain stations

to provide express service, connecting popular

destinations or a aster trip. Bogot, Colombia.

Focus on the passenger

Weather protected stations with seating and real time

inormation systems make the experience much more

comortable or the passenger. Ahmedabad, India.

Level boarding without stairs makes it easier or people

with strollers and packages or people in wheelchairs to

enter. Metrobs, Mexico City, Mexico.

Photo: Eduardo Sepulveda


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Calis BRT was the rst ull-eatured BRT to build on the

inherent fexibility o buses by allowing buses to operate

both on and o the busway. This provides a more direct

trip and eliminates transers. Cali, Colombia.

Make it sensitive to thestreet environment

Make it fexibleand responsive

In Bogot, the BRT has helped revitalize the city

center by creating a transit mall where only buses,

pedestrians and cyclists can go. Bogot, Colombia. for you:


Guayaquils BRT station integrates well with the dense

downtown. Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Guangzhous ull-eatured BRT system allows buses

to travel quickly along the corridor and then to

leave the corridor to drop passengers closer to their

destination. Guangzhou, China.

Photo: Municipality o Guayaquil


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Rea Vaya BRTJohannesburg, South Africa

Rea Vaya, the rst ull BRT system on the Arican

continent, opened in Johannesburg, South Arica in

August 2009, giving new meaning to the citys motto:

A world class Arican city.

Rea Vaya replaced 575 rickety and polluting 15-seater

minibus taxis with about 140 high capacity Euro IV

modern Scania buses. Rea Vaya has 25 state-o-the-

art BRT stations which oer pre-paid boarding and

platorms level with the bus foor. Each iconic and

spacious station is decorated by local artists with a

local theme.

The system runs in exclusive busways or nearly the

entire 25.5 kilometer length. It has trunk services,

eeder services, and also innovative complementary

services that operate both on normal streets and inside

the busway. Many stations include passing lanes to

allow express buses to pass local services, and have

multiple stopping bays to allow several buses to load

simultaneously.

The Rea Vaya bus operators will be new companies

made up o ormer minibus taxi owners. Because the

drivers are paid to operate on schedule rather than byhow many passengers they pick up, and the companies

are penalized or speeding or not maintaining their

buses, Rea Vaya is ending the dangerous practice o

minibuses jumping in ront o each other to capture

passengers.

By the 2010 World Cup in June, daily ridership reached

35,000. Rea Vaya, a world-class BRT system, is quickly

becoming a model transit system or the Arican

continent as well as or the world beyond.

The BRT system brings passengers directly into the city center.

Stations are well-maintained, lively and well-lit,

making them sae and attractive.

Case Study

Level boarding make buses accessible or all user groups.

Photo: Philip Mostert




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Rea Vaya BRT station downtown

Johannesburg, South Arica


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Provide access or clean passenger

vehicles at sae speeds and in

signicantly reduced numbers

In the last century many cities were retrotted and

designed to accommodate automobile travel. Car travel

will remain a preerred choice or some people on

certain trips in 2030, especially where cost-eective

public transit options are not available. These cars

should be as clean, uel ecient, quiet and sae as

possible or both passengers and surrounding people.

Widening or adding roads in built up urban areas

tends to damage local communities. More cars lead to

greater congestion, pollution, uel consumption, and

greenhouse gas emissions. Cars consume too much

road space to be viable or more than a raction o total

travel. I car travel keeps pace with population growth,

gains rom uel eciency and cleaner technologies

will be countered by slow speedsas drivers get

stuck in trac congestion. Car trips can be kept at

levels that available roads can handle through parkingpolicies, vehicle restrictions, user charges, and trac

cells that allow more direct access or transit vehicles

and bicycles. These strategies can also be tailored to

specically encourage the use o cleaner and quieter

vehicles. Better management o travel demand is

critical or any city made or people, not cars.

CruiseControl!

Slow down-increase spaceand saety or people

Balance access withopportunies to linger

SPEED

LIMIT

40MPH

SPEED

LIMIT

25MPH

Creating protected pedestrian space gives walking

and other travel modes legitimacy alongside vehicle

access. Bogot, Colombia.

Pedestrian atality

risk 82% at 40 mph

Pedestrian atality

risk 42% at 20 mph

Removing visual cues, like painted trac lines and

built curbs, orces drivers to slow down when mixing

with pedestrians. Seoul, South Korea.

Rue Saint Denis is a shared space within a trac cell

where people have reclaimed the street. Paris, France.

Trac cells allow passenger vehicles and lorries to

access a street only i it is their destination, giving

pedestrians and cyclists priority.


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A street for everyoneNew Road, Brighton, UK

The improved New Road, one o Brightons most

important streets, is one o the ew shared-surace,

multi-modal, non-residential streets in the United

Kingdom. The design is inormed by a detailed

understanding o how people use the street and the

historically sensitive surroundings o Brightons Royal

Pavilion and its Gardens, where they walk and where

they choose to spend time.

. . .to a vibrant,

inclusive & people

oriented street

Pedestrian trac has increased: 175%

Staying activity has increased: 600%

A street where

everything

can happen!

Beore Ater

From a side street, dominated by motorized trac. . .. . .to a vibrant inclusive and people oriented main street.

Plan over New Road with Brighton Dome

and Royal pavillion

Case Study

New Road


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The best cycle route

through the city.

A place to meet people,

and to watch others.

The street operates

at pedestrian speed.

Brighton, UK


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Deliverthe Goods!

Servicing the city in the cleanest and

saest manner

City lie is ed by the movement o goods. Food, uel,

clothing and garbage are oten transported between

and within cities by truck. Freight contributes 40-

50% o air and noise pollution, while, on average,

accounting only or 10-15% o all vehicle-miles traveled.

Sustainable cities will need to ensure ecient delivery

while minimizing impacts on communities. Regional

movement o goods could be shited rom trucks to rail-

or water-based delivery systems, while city logistics

might include cargo cycles.

Smart logistics systems and incentives to use cleaner,

smaller, slower, quieter, and saer delivery vehicles are

important to optimizing goods movement. Deliveries by

truck in the city, oten made at the already congested

and contested curbside, can be improved through

ees and regulatory controls. Trucks cruise or parking

and slow trac by blocking the carriageway when no

dedicated space or loading and unloading is available.Regulating reight by time o day, location, and vehicle

emission standards will help minimize the impact on

local areas. Empty haul truck trips can be avoided by

locating distribution centers more strategically. Cargo

bikes, small vans and hand carts along with uel-

ecient trucks will enable more diversied ways o

moving goods around the city.

Going the last mile

Inter-city deliveries can utilize customized orms onon-motorized transportation to eciently navigateurban areas. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Many o the challenges in reight logistics are a t the

end o the supply chain. Organizing distribution centersat strategic locations around the city in addition toecient handling o goods can bring cost and timesavings.

Regulate or results

CO2

CO2=+

CO2

$

CO2 CO2

CO2

=+

$

Charging or reight movement based on CO 2 emissionlevels would acilitate a shit to cleaner g oods delivery.

Trucks entering the EcoPass zone pay a ee based onemissions and vehicle size. Revenue rom the chargesunds public transit and cycle ways. Milan, Italy.

Rail/ water/ big

trucks

Regional distribution

centresCity

small Vehicles

small VehiclesCity


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10am-

2 pm

Manage the curb

Only small trucks allowed or deliveries, duringmorning hours only. Macau, China.

Regulate delivery times and size o vehicles in city centresto lower emissions and congestion. Paris, France.

Diversiy deliveries

or you:

What does it meanor the planet:

Bicycles are used to pick up goods rom a centraldistribution market. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The catering company Fruta Fresca hires triathlonathletes rom low-income communities to makedeliveries by bicycle in a city where most are done bymotorcycle. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Every year in the state o

Caliornia, the air pollutiongenerated by the movemento goods causes an estimated3,940 Caliornians to dieprematurely and costs $34billion in associated healthcare costs.

Lin/Prakash, Taking a Toll, 2009

I you live in New York, buyinga bottle o wine rom Caliorniawill cause over ten times morecarbon emmissions than abottle rom France because othe way it is transported.

National Geographic, May 2009


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Photo: Toll Collect GmbH

Photo: DPA/Landov

Drivers can pay the German tolling ee at manualpayment terminals. The Berlin Umweltzone appliesto the area inside the city's rail ring.

Over one-third o trucks that

use German highways are rom

neighboring countries.

The low emission zone, or Umweltzone, in many Germancities restrict polluting lorries rom entering. Onlyvehicles with a red, yellow or green sticker could enterthe zone in 2009.

The tolling scheme

resulted in empty truck

runs decreasing by 6-7%.

Case Study

Photo: DPA/Landov


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An average delivery van

weighs more than one

metric ton, and delivers less

than 100 kg o goods within

a total distance o only 15

km. Cargocycles weigh only

100 kg, have a load capacity

o 180 kg, and an autonomy

o 30 km, making them

much more efcient.

Photo: La Petite Reine

It's aster and 10-20 %

cheaper to use these

bikes instead o trucks.

Photo: La Petite Reine Photo: La Petite Reine


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Vertical diversitymix o unctionsand uses rom foor to foor

Inside-outside connections-permeable rontages Horizontal diversity

- small units, many entrances

Mix it up!

Foster a ne-grain mix o uses in the three dimensions

X

Y

Z

Mix people and activities, buildings

and spaces

Integrating residential, work, retail, and entertainment

activities into one area makes or better cities and

better places. When the destinations that people need

to access everyday are mixed together, as opposed to

concentrated in separate spaces, many trips become

short and walkable. Time spent commuting or running

errands can be reduced, as it becomes easier to

combine trips. Streetscapes become more varied,

rich and interesting. Overlapping activities animate

the streets at all hours. Liveliness attracts lie, people

attract people, local business thrives and diversies,

and saety improves.

The liveliest cities are those who stack lower-foor retail

with residential and oce unctions above. Combined

with dynamic public spaces and plazas, mixing it up

creates vibrancy in and above the streets.


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Allow or dierent activitiesin the public space

Pedestrian fows help retail businesses and services,which in turn activate the streetscape. Avoid blank wallsand long building set-backs. Santiago, Chile. or you:


Mixed use development can

reduce average vehicularmiles travelled per person perday by 30%

Farr Douglas, Sustainable Urbanism, 2008

The daily activity mostinjurious to happiness iscommuting (by car). With ashorter commute, you'll behappier!

Stutzer/Frey, The Commuting Paradox, 2004

Keep ground-foors activewhere people walk

Allow or ground foors change o use over time.Encourage the most people-riendly uses. Boston, USA.

Encourage a diversity o activities on sidewalks andpublic space. Beijing, China.

Create a place where a diverse mix o people can meetor retreat. New York City, USA.

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London SouthbankRe-imagining the public realm-inside

and outside

The regeneration o London's South Bank provides a

model o mixing users and unctions day and night.

Dynamic and fexible spaces are open to the public and

welcome a range o events, rom local school plays

to international ashion shows. Indoor and outdoor

public spaces, ree wi- networks, electronic outlets,

and good places to sit encourage people to linger, mix,

and mingle. Students and proessionals with laptop

computers fock to the South Bank which unctions as

inormal oce space.The addition o two pedestrian bridges (Charing Cro ss and Millenium) acted as a catalyst or the revitalization o theSouthbank. With improved accessibility, a vast mix o institutions and destinations have located along the waterront,attracting diverse activities and events as well as people rom all walks o lie-locals and tourists alike.

Indoor public spaces at the National Theatre provideor meeting, eating as well as a collective work andstudy places.

The space has been reinvented to act as a publicliving room, mall and promenade, with invitations orresidents and tourists.

a ree ofce inthe city

a place to regroupand relax

a good cae

Free seats and cae

seats share thesame space

Culture andcommerce together

a place to rendezvous

Always a draw or special events and activities, the SouthBank is in many ways Londoners urban living room.

Case Study

C St d


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Guangzhou, China

Guangzhou-Tianhe NanVibrant mixed-use district emerges

out o single-use housing complex

Tianhe Nan, in Guangzhou, China, is a housing complex

composed o dozens o walk-up apartment buildings

constructed in the early 1990s, up to 9 storey high. The

community was initially enced o, access-controlled,

and single-use. Starting in the early 2000s, some

ground foor owners began converting apartments

into coee shops and small retail stores. The area

soon became a vibrant cluster o trendy independent

designers. The streets were gradually opened to the

public and closed to cars; their design and material

improved. The transormation process rapidly spreadto adjoining communities.

Case Study

The ormer single-use, residential complex has turnedinto a vibrant neighbourhood.

Ground foors are being retrotted to createopportunities or shops and businesses.

Streets have lled with people as shops have opened up.

The careul integration o trees and planting improve thecomort and quality o the street.


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Build density around transit nodes

Fill it in!Build dense, people and transit-

oriented urban districts that are

desirable

By 2030, cities worldwide are projected to absorb two

billion more people. The ecological ootprint o the

new city dwellers will dier by several magnitudes

depending on whether urban growth is concentrated

into ecient compact cities or into automobile-

dependent sprawl.

Dense communities use ewer resources and cover less

land. They are built o much less concrete and asphalt,

pipes and wiring per person. Above all, they require less

energy-intensive transportation, connecting to other

communities while making great transit systems viable

by ensuring sucient ridership. Some o the most

attractive locations in the world are also among the

most dense and well developed urban cores.

The rst step to accommodating uture urban growth

is to densiy existing urban land while providingexcellent and diversied services and amenities. Dense

communities are a oundation or the lively mixed-use

urban areas where walking, cycling, and transit can be

integral parts o the most enjoyable way o lie.

10 min

10min

Densiy around transport nodes according topedestrian and cycling 10-minute catchment areas;800 meters or pedestrians and 3 km or cyclists.

Existing low-density areas. . .

. . .should be densied horizontally along a widearea, becoming denser towards the transit nodes

Land use planning encouraged densication around theBRT transit corridor in Curitiba, Brazil.

Streetscape o Bus Rapid Transport. Curitiba, Brazil.

Photo: Municipality o Curitiba


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or you:


By encouraging infll

development, the economicsavings to society would equateto over $300 million per 1000housing units or $110,000,000,000over the next 50 years or a citywith 4-5 million inhabitants.

Adams Rob, Transorming Australia, 2009

A dense neighborhood orme is a place where myriends and kids can easilylive nearby, I can walk towhere I need to get to, andeverything I need is close athand. My neighborhood is mycommunity.

Revitalize the existingbeore building new

Intensiy the urban abricby building in the gaps

Industrial area metamorphosed into a hub o lie, workand leisure. New York City, USA.

Reused structures preserve elements o neighborhoodhistory and identity. Vertical extensions accommodateadditional people and activities. New York City, USA.

New inll development. Budapest, Hungary.

Selective redevelopment on existing ootprints allowsdensication while preserving the grain o the walkabledistrict. New York City, USA.

Case Study


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Massena, ParisFrom obsolete industrial district to

people and transit-oriented, dense

and mixed used neighborhood.

The 20-block, compact, mid-rise new development on

the let bank o the Seine river take cues rom the old

neighborhoods around and blends these with innovative

contemporary solutions. Narrow streets, short blocks,

calm trac, limited parking, and advanced bike

acilities make the new district highly walkable and

cycleable. Storeront retail, caes and restaurants

animate the public realm. The ree-standing buildings

can access light and air rom all directions and open on

small private gardens and courtyards but they are set

close enough together to clearly shape the urban blocks

and the public space around.

Masterplan and urban design: Atelier Christian de

Portzamparc

Aerial view o the Massena district beore development Narrow streets and active ground foors.

Case Study

Small plots and many designers create varied architecture.

. . .and during construction.

Photo: Atelier Christian de Portzamparc



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Get Real!Preserve and enhance the local

natural, cultural, social, and

historical assets

What makes a place special? Its history, its natural

environment, the culture o the people who live and

work there? Its all o these things.

Cities must grow and transorm. They must

accommodate a rising urban population, satisy new

needs and wants, and adapt to the historical changebrought by economic, social, climate related, and other

actors. The identity o the place, and the livelihoods o

its residents should be preserved and enhanced; not

destroyed or displaced.

Preservation has a role beyond enshrining isolated

monuments and sights. Old districts with modest

buildings are signposts o the city's collective memory.

Ancient rivers, canals and roads upon which the city

was built, trees that shaded generations, lampposts

that illuminated the nights o our childhood; these

constitute valuable and non-renewable assets. When

gone, they cannot be resurrected. The value o a place's

distinctive eatures is sure to increase over time as

globalization renders our cities more generic.

Older neighborhoods laid out beore the era o

the automobile are naturally conducive to walking

liestyles.

Embrace diversity andenhance social networks

Protect cultural assets

Facilitate interaction between cultures, ages, genders,and classes. Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Keeping local skills in the community.Guangzhou, China.

Local markets reduce need or transport, while creatinglocal jobs and a so cial orum. Ahmedabad, India.

Architectural heritage under restoration, HistoricCenter. Mexico City, Mexico.

Photo: Anuj Malhotra

Photo: Wang Gen


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Rediscover neglectedamenities

Reuse rather thanredevelop

With the demolition o the old motorway that covere dit, an ancient river was reinvented and turned into a

popular recreational area. Cheonggyecheon River,Seoul, South Korea.

Former industrial area turned into a multiunctionallandscape park. Duisburg-Nord, Germany. or you:


With renovation o old buildings,

energy use rom heating can bereduced by 77%. The energy usedrom renovating an old building isar less than rom constructing anew building.

Haselsteiner, Edeltraud, New Standards or Old

Houses, 2005

When you buy ood and servicesrom locally owned businessesinstead o large chain stores,three times as much money staysin the local economy.

Civic Economics, 2009

Old tree preserved and bus station built around,Mexico City, Mexico.

New cas tucked under the arches o a railway viaduct.Berlin, Germany.

Case Study


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Lapa, Rio de JaneiroHistoric district rebounds

The motorized middle-classes abandoned the city center

starting in the 1930s and moved to the beachront

communities o Copacabana and Ipanema. They letLapa and much o the old city center impoverished and

dominated by gangsters and drug dealers.

By the 1980s, new groups o bohemian artists and

intellectuals were moving back. Municipal policies

shited rom large scale demolition and redevelopment

to the upgrading o municipal services and incentives

to rehabilitate older properties. Lapa today is a nightlie

hot spot, the address o countless creative rms, and

the residential population is growing again.

Thoughtul and high quality building renovations haveinvigorated the area.

Case Study

Rios historic viaduct is preserved, creating a dramatic backdrop to a var iety o contemporary urban activities.

Lapa is a melting pot, with music and culture enjoyedby locals and visitors across diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

Regeneration has occurred with a l ight touch,preserving the areas heritage and spirit whileencouraging new investment.


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Make walking trips more direct,interesting and productive with small-

size, permeable buildings and blocks

Cities that are pleasant to walk and bicycle

through typically have large numbers o narrow

short streets and many intersections per

unit o area. This makes the trac slow down

while walking becomes more direct, varied,

interesting and attractive.

The tighter the street grid, the less detour to a

destination. Detours can aect the decision to

undertake a trip and by what means. At walking

speeds, detours matter much more than at

car speeds.

Streets that are short and relatively narrow are

well scaled to the perception o people on oot.

They aord good opportunities to connect with

the surroundings. Each corner oers glimpses

o alternate routes or places where to stop, andnew possibilities. Buildings, shops, trees and

other streetscape elements are closer to the

pedestrians and the cyclists as they travel.

Protect ne grain environments

Connectthe blocks!

In an environment well scaled to the physical size othe human body, all senses can engage.

walkingspeed

eye level

viewingangle

smelling

hearing

touching

72

Lanes and small passages increase connectivity, and appeal to the senses.Guangzhou, China.

Fine grain area lled with restaurants and small shops.Istanbul, Turkey.


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Save resources; buildcompact blocks

Make new city blocks shortand easy to walk

In a high density city, the co st o inrastructurewill be divided by more people

or you:


Total land consumption as a

result o dense urban living is1/1000th that o suburban living.

Farr, Douglas, Sustainable Urbanism, 2008

Humans are linear, rontal,horizontal mammals thatwalk at a maximum o3 mph and have an eye

level o approximately 5eet. Human mobility andhuman senses should bethe biological basis or howstreets are designed.Almeres short and connected pedestrian priority

streets are attractive and animated.

Large buildings can be divided into small walkableblocks. Almere, The Netherlands.

Nice amenities can be provided cost-eectively andbenet many people.


Case Study


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Opening the lanewaysMelbourne, AustraliaAccessible and active laneways in Melbourne city centre

have been increased rom 300m (1994) to 3,43 km (2004).

O these, 500 m are completely new lanes or arcades,

while the rest are existing, previously unaccessible service

laneways that have been opened up with active acades,

various unctions and art installations. The lanes oer an

alternate route through the city centre with a more human

scale atmosphere. The opening o the lanes along with

other investments in the public realm have contributed

to a remarkable increase in public lie in the centre o

Melbourne, documented in the public space-public lie

surveys in 1994 and 2004 respectively.

Beore Ater

Previously unaccessible laneways. . . . . .transormed into human scale, active routes through the city centre.

Legend

Caeprecinct

Retail precinctormixed retail/

caeprecinct

Upgraded pedestrian only

thoroughare

Servicesonlyor shared vehicle/

pedestrian thoroughare(not

upgraded)

Lanesupgraded in 1993

Lanes used or art installations.Revitalisation o lanes. Nightlie at Hardware Lane.

Legend

Cae precinct

Retail precinct or mixed retail/

cae precinct

Upgraded pedestrian only

thoroughare

Services only or shared vehicle/

pedestrian thoroughare (not

upgraded)

Lanes upgraded in 1993

y

Case Study


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Bo 01, Malmo,Sweden

The designers o Bo01, a recent community

development in Malmo, Sweden, laid out thedevelopment on a short and irregular 60 meter by

60 meter grid o well dierentiated streets that are

highly accessible and user riendly to pedestrians

and cyclists. They urther enhanced the diversity and

variation o the architecture and the public space by

breaking down the 60 meter blocks into small plots

all allocated to dierent developers. The blocks were

designed to protect the streets and plazas rom the

strong prevailing winds and open them up to sunlight

as much as possible, thereby creating microclimates

able to sustain a vital public lie even during coldweather. A range o green building systems, including

rainwater collection and rigorous building insulation

urther elevated the environmental sustainability

standards set or the development.

Bo01 is testament to the ability o urban planning to

create developments that respond to local conditions.

They can be perectly scaled to the needs o pedestrians,

and they can oer a diversity o spaces and architectural

details as stimulating and intriguing as those more

usually associated with pre-modern city designs.

Aerial view o Bo01 development. Narrow, short, zig-zag streets and small squarescreate a varied streetscape suitable or walking.

The new area has become a meeting place or all inhabitants, a place where any thing can happen.


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Robustness and re-useQuality o materials, designand production

Needs may change, but a robust design canaccommodate change. Paris, France.

Make itlast!

High quality materials ensure resilience despiterigorous use. Berlin, Germany.

Build or the long term

Sustainable cities bridge generations. They are

memorable, malleable, built rom quality materials,

and well maintained.

Memorable-most o the great streets and plazas in the

world were built to last and it shows. They are part o

the public's image o the city and evoke the past.

Malleablecities that adapt survive. Just like a good

building, cities grow and expand to accommodate currentdemands. The best streets and spaces evolve; they are

constantly repurposed, yet the structure remains.

Materialsthe use o high quality, sustainable materials

bestows a sense o pride to a place.

Maintenancecities that are well maintained attract

investment, both personal and nancial. Keeping the

place up is an expression o ownership that begets

higher values. Local management groups, citizens

bridgades, people shoveling snow all contribute.Instead o allowing deterioration, sustainable

communities x it rst.

The use o high quality, sustainable materials bestowsa sense o pride to a place, marking its importance.Hamburg, Germany.

Re-use o old buildingormer industrial buildingretrotted to attractive oce space. London, UK.


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or you:


Memorable andinspirational

Taking care-maintainand manage

Investing in quality o design

and materials will pay o in thelong run. A lie cycle assessmenthelps to show the environmentalimpact on the whole lie o abuilding, not just the production.

Is this cinderblock big blockmegastore the sort obuilding I want to see mygrandkids grow up around?

The Bryant Park Corporation engages the localcommunity to act as a steward o this public park.Bryant Park, New York, USA.

Most o the great streets and plazas in the world werebuilt to last and it shows. They are par t o the public'simage o the city and evoke the pa st. El Zcalo, MexicoCity, Mexico.

Keeping a place up is an expression o ownershipthat begets higher values. Philadelphia, USA.

The Lyon river waterront was recently redesignedto encourage interaction-both between people andwith the water.

Case Study


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Vauban-FreiburgSmall solutions tobig problems

Once a military area occupied by the French, it wasabandoned ater German reunication. In 1992 it was

bought by the City o Freiburg which decided to develop

a new urban district. In 1994, an urban planning

competition or Vauan was carried out. At the same

time, dierent groups o committed citizens started

taking an interest in the area.

Finished in 2006, Vauban is now a sustainable city

with 5,500 residents and 600 workplaces. Through

extended participatory processes, Freiburg created an

urban district o high ecological standards where the

residents had a strong infuence on the design o the

neighbourhood.A close-knit community providing a social network.

1000m

Aerial view o Vauban.Plan o Vauban Direct involvment by the inhabitants in the designprocess contributed to a human scale environment.

Case Study


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The High Line,New YorkThe High Line, a public park in New York City, was

ormerly an elevated rail structure used to transport

goods to the actories and warehouses o the West

Side. The project captured attention nationally long

beore it opened in 2009, helping to contribute to the

revitalization o the Meat Packing District.

The rst section opened in 2009. The project was

headed by the Friends o the Highline, a non-prot

partner to the New York City Department o Parks and

Recreation. The organization, a bottom-up initiative

headed by citizens, is responsible or maintenance

o the park and provides over 70 percent o its annual

budget. Section two o the High Line, which will expandthe park to its ull 1.5 mile length, is projected to be

completed in 2011.

Projects like the High Line exempliy the 21st Century

trend o ocusing on usable landmarks to improve

the quality o urban public lie, rather than iconic

monuments. The park provides a unique public space

that expands over the citys bustling streets, giving

individuals the opportunity to experience New York City

in a new way.

A concrete pathway spans the length o the High Line, providing an interesting walking experience, as well as newviews o the city.

Both stationary and movable seating gives chancesor rest and observation.

More intimate niches are integrated throughout theHigh Line.

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50Our Cities Ourselves ITDP Gehl Architects

Example group 2Summary

1.1 Invite people to walk everywhere in the city

3.1 Focus on the passenger

4.1 Slow down-increase space

and saety or people

5.1 Going the last mile

6.1 Foster a ne-grain mix o uses in the

three dimensions

7.1 Build density around transit nodes

8.1 Embrace diversity and enhance social

networks

9.1 Protect ne grain environments

10.1 Quality o materials, design and production

1. Walk the Walk!

2. Powered by People!

3. Get on the Bus!

4. Cruise Control!

5. Deliver the Goods!

6. Mix It Up!

7. Fill It In!

8. Get Real!

9. Connect the Blocks!

10. Make It Last!

2.2 Make cycling sae

3.2 Promote convenient, cost eective solutions

4.2 Balance access with opportunities to linger

5.2 Regulate or results

6.2 Keep ground-foors active where people walk

7.2 Revitalize the existing beore building new

8.2 Protect cultural assets

9.2 Make new city blocks short and easy to walk

10.2 Robustness and re-use

2.1 Make cycling convenient

1.2 Invite people to linger

Example group 1


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Example group 1

8.3 Rediscover neglected amenities

1.3 Connect important destinations in a network

2.3 Make cycling un

3.3 Make it fexible and responsive

4.3 Get smart

5.3 Manage the curb

6.3 Allow or dierent activities in the public space

7.3 Intensiy the urban abric by building in the gaps

9.3 Save resources; build compact blocks

10.3 Taking care-maintain and manage

8.4 Reuse rather than redevelop

10.4 Memorable and inspirational

3.4 Make it sensitive to the street environment

4.4 Pay or the privilege

5.4 Diversiy deliveries


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www.itdp.org www.gehlarchitects.dkwww.ourcitiesourselves.org

2010 our cities ourselves booklet

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