helle søholt nhprc 2013

Public Space ; Quality of Life Tapping into the urban health resource

Helle Søholt, Founding Partner & CEO

“Design of cities effects behavior”

We act on invitations…

Culture is not static; we adapt to our environment

We know what makes a good habitat …. for pandas & turtles

But what is a good habitat for people?

How do we design the urban habitat for the “walking animal”?

Social needs Physical needs

How are cities build to support our needs?

Fresh Air Exercise

Meet People

Any doctor or nurse would recommend

Yet we make it so difficult….

Poor pedestrian conditions

Traffic dominated streets

Gehl Architects · Urban Quality Consultants · Gl. Kongevej 1, 4.tv · 1610 Copenhagen V · Denmark · www.gehlarchitects.dk

Lack of human scale

Mobility in Mexico City People Use in Average 2.5 hours in transport/Day

Average speed by car 12,5 km/hour


0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

AustraliaDenmark

FranceGreece

ItalyJapan

MexicoNew Zealand

NorwaySweden

United KingdomUnited States

%

Obesity among adults, BMI > 30

Obesity

”Brazil’s obesity rates could reach that of US’s by 2020 - 33.8%”

Otaliba Libanio Neto, (2010) Director of Brazil's Department of Health Analysis

Mental Health

” City life takes its toll on São Paulo's residents 30% report a mental disorder ; WHO” “Residents live daily with the frustration of severe traffic congestion and its related noise and pollution, as well as high levels of urban violence“ The Lancet, Volume 379, Issue 9831, Page 2039, 2 June 2012

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/vol379no9831/PIIS0140-6736(12)X6022-7




Safety

” Homicides and traffic accidents cause over 60 percent of deaths in Brazil “

The Lancet, Volume 377, Issue 9782, Pages 2042 - 2053, 11 June 2011





In contrast Copenhagen – the most livable city


from NECESSARY to OPTIONAL


OPTIONAL reverse to NECESSARY

“Measure what you care about”

All cities measure Traffic growth ; economic growth ; population growth

ect.

But are we simply optimizing the wrong things?

We should measure people activities & mobility happiness & quality of life

Walking is good for your health

• “Active people live longer”

• 2 x 30 minutes of exercise every day

• = 7 more years to live!

Study published in 2005 South Danish University, DK

Cycling is good for your health

• A large Danish study shows people who take their bicycle to work have a 28% lower mortality rate than the average population (after adjustment for, among other issues, differences in terms of job, smoking, leisure-time activities, and body mass index).

“Cycling, exercise and Health” Published in Danish by The Ecological Council, The Heart Association, School and Society and The Danish Bicycle Federation 2007

L.B.Andersen et al: All-cause Mortality Associated with Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Work, Sports, and Cycling to Work, Arch. Intern. Med., Vol. 160, June 12, 2000, p.1621

Health through design

Cycle tracks are very effective in urban traffic 5 times more people can move per hour on a bicycle track compared with a

traffic lane

(Estimation by the traffic planners Municipality of Copenhagen)

But more importantly: A city full of pedestrians & bicyclists is a

City for People

Walking & biking is for everyone ; it is about equity

Urban cycling ; not Tour de France

Copenhagen Modal split

35% use a bicycle 26% drive a car 32% use public transit 7% walk

70% continue to bike in the Winter

Why do people cycle?

Copenhagen saves 90.000 t CO2 per year

9%

environment

Because it is easy and quick

88%

Earn: 1,22 dkk Per cycled kilometer

Loose: 0,67 dkk Per kilometer in car

Return on cycle infrastructure projects = 12,6% The Danish state requires a minimum return on 5%

Cycling makes sense in terms of economy

More cities are introducing the Cph Model Sustainability helps focusing on pedestrians and bicyclists

9th Ave. July 07

9th Ave. Sept.07

Broadway Boulevard Oct.2008

Times Square - before

Test the design of the urban habitat

To impact behavior and the urban culture

Midtown Evaluation Report 17% improvements in travel time 11% increase in pedestrian numbers 63% decrease in injuries 84% increase in stationary activities 74% Times Square has improved dramatically

“Tap into the urban health resource”

from HOSPITALS to HOSPITALITY The city is a place to learn – The environment is our “3 teacher”

Our Public Spaces = The urban health resource

Culture Public spaces opens and enable people to

use their urban cultural and social resources & behaviors

Attractiveness The city network Is accessible and

inviting to many people enabling them to take part in urban life

Innovation The public spaces are flexible and make space for exchange of ideas

and the meeting of people

The Healthy

City

People at the centre of planning

”Healthy public spaces are not a question related to size of city.” ”It is about prioritizing people, public life and livability ”

helle søholt nhprc 2013

Education