Life and Form: An Interview with Jan Gehl

Danish Architect Jan Gehl talks about the intersections of architecture and social science.

2 minute read

August 20, 2015, 12:00 PM PDT

By Emily Calhoun


Cities for People

Island Press / Cities for People

Architect, consultant, author of the groundbreaking book, Cities for People, and subject of the documentary THE HUMAN SCALE, Jan Gehl of Gehl Architects answers questions for Mikki Brammer of Metropolis.

Gehl talks about his early influences, as an observer of Danish society. "Every time we build something, we manipulate the conditions of people’s lives, but most planners don’t know enough about this manipulation."

He discusses the strategy his firm employed as a consultant to the Copenhagen city council. Copenhagen is now recognized as the most walkable city on Earth. "It’s no secret that we have always built cities for people until cars started to invade our lives...Part of that strategy was focusing on having good public spaces that invite people to be outside as much as possible, because it’s important for the safety of the city and social inclusion and democracy."

He focuses on the universalities of design rather than cultural context. "We are homo sapiens and we are made as a walking animal and have the same biological history...Whether we live in Greenland or in a very hot climate somewhere, we adapt and discover, but we all have the same aspirations."

Gehl is passionate about the need for architects to understand the way people live and interact in the built environment. "Because if you just do form, then you are doing sculpture, but if you look after the interaction between life and form, you are doing architecture."

Tuesday, August 11, 2015 in Metropolis

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight