Jan Gehl in Prague - Livable Cities for the 21st Century

One of the most significant urban planners of our time, Jan Gehl, is coming to Prague at the invitation of the city's leadership and the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR). On Monday, October 17, 2016, at 6:00 PM, he will lecture at the Bethlehem Chapel about public space, its transformations, and the life of people within it.
Danish urban planner Jan Gehl is renowned primarily as an expert on public space and life within it. His approach is based on detailed research into how people behave in public spaces and what contributes to their feeling of well-being there. Gehl advises metropolises around the world on how to create pleasant urban spaces. He has worked with London, Vienna, Copenhagen, Oslo, Moscow, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, Melbourne, and others.
“I perceive Jan Gehl as one of the greatest contemporary authorities in the field of shaping public space,” says Prague mayor Adriana Krnáčová. “His thinking about the city and global experience can significantly enrich Prague and further advance the local debate about public space.”
As a young architect, Gehl gained fame in the early 1960s by closing the Copenhagen street Strøget to cars - the street then became the longest pedestrian zone in the world at 1.1 kilometers. Gehl formulated the principles of his approach to shaping urban spaces in various publications, including "Life Between Buildings," "New Urban Spaces," and especially "Cities for People," which have been translated into Czech. Gehl applies his long-term experience in research and practice; he has served as a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and founded the consulting firm Gehl Architects.
“I am very pleased that we can welcome Jan Gehl here. His work is a great inspiration for the Office of Public Space IPR Prague, which is striving to promote many of his principles for creating public spaces in Prague,” says Ondřej Boháč, appointed to manage IPR.
Jan Gehl visited Prague already in March 2016, participating as a speaker in the international conference Habitat. There he met with Prague mayor Adriana Krnáčová, who approached him regarding potential collaboration with Prague. His current visit is related to possible cooperation with the Czech metropolis, which is currently under discussion.
“One of the conditions for successfully implementing positive changes in urban public space is well-informed citizens who know how to demand quality,” says Deputy Mayor Petra Kolínská. “Therefore, I am glad that such an authority as Jan Gehl is lecturing in Prague now.”
The lecture, which will take place on Monday, October 17, at 6:00 PM in the Bethlehem Chapel, is free of charge. The lecture titled “Livable Cities for the 21st Century” will be conducted in English with interpretation.

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