Gehl Studio is an urban research and design consultancy offering expertise in the fields of architecture, urban design, and city planning. We address global trends with a people-focused approach, utilizing empirical analysis to understand how the built environment can promote well-being. We apply this analysis to strategic planning and human-centered design to empower citizens, decision makers, company leaders, and organizations. 

People-friendly cities 

Our work is based on the human dimension – the built environment’s effect on social interaction between people. We consider lively and widely used public spaces to be vital keys to quality of life in cities and to overall wellbeing. Well thought out public spaces can encourage healthier choices, by allowing people to integrate physical activity into their everyday routines by walking, biking or using public transport. 

Copenhagen, New York & San Francisco 

Copenhagen is the base of our networked organisation - a city we have collaborated with, studied and worked in for more than 40 years. Our large scale ‘Public Space Public Life Studies’ in Copenhagen in 1968, 1986, 1995 and 2005 have provided The City of Copenhagen with unique insight and documentation of public life and a substantial knowledge of what works and what does not work when it comes to making cities for people. This evidence helped propel Copenhagen to one of the world’s most people-friendly cities and a global leader when it comes to green mobility, pedestrians and cycling. 

In 2014 we established two Studios in the US enabling us to do more of what we love most; to work face to face and on a daily basis with our local clients and collaborators. 

We are able to jointly tackle and prioritize the needs of people in the planning and design of cities, districts, communities, streets and spaces, to make a bigger impact and to go further in the design process.