If you’re interested in urban design, you should check out the recent presentation [here] by Jan Gehl of Gehl Architects over at the Economist.  In it, Mr. Gehl discusses his concept of Liveable Cities – designing for its human inhabitants first and foremost.  Two cities where he’s had considerable experience and input, Copenhagen and New York City, were featured prominently in the presentation.  From Copenhagen’s push for increased cycling modeshare to NYC’s conversion of portions of Broadway to pedestrian only spaces, there’s a wealth of information and a unique vision that should help to guide future urban projects and cities.

Below are a variety of photos from both Copenhagen and NYC that illustrate many of Mr. Gehl’s 5 points to creating a livable city.

Copenhagen

Pedestrian area in the Stroget and Latin Quarters

Streetscape in Copenhagen

Bike lanes with Blue paint to highlight cycling infrastructure at intersections

Heavily used bicycle infrastructure

Canal Village in Slotsholmen

Christianshavn Kanal

New York City

Conversion of Broadway to pedestrian-only areas

Bike lane along a pedestrianized section of Broadway