Welcome to the Handbook
Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life
Description:Imagine waking up to the gentle noises of the city, and moving through your day with complete confidence that you will get where you need to go quickly and efficiently. Soft City is about ease and comfort, where density has a human dimension, adapting to our ever-changing needs, nurturing relationships, and accommodating the pleasures of everyday life. How do we move from the current reality in most cites—separated uses and lengthy commutes in single-occupancy vehicles that drain human, environmental, and community resources—to support a soft city approach? In Soft City David Sim, partner and creative director at Gehl, shows how this is possible, presenting ideas and graphic examples from around the globe. He draws from his vast design experience to make a case for a dense and diverse built environment at a human scale, which he presents through a series of observations of older and newer places, and a range of simple built phenomena, some traditional and some totally new inventions.
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces
Description:This classic work examines the impact of design on urban public spaces exploring how these spaces shape social interactions and community life.
Author: William H. Whyte
Publication Year:1980
Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design
Description:This book explores the relationship between urban design and human happiness emphasizing the role of placemaking in creating healthier emphasizing the role of placemaking in creating healthier more enjoyable cities.
Author:Charles Montgomery
Publication Year:2013
Description:Jon Adams Jerde, was an American architect based in Venice, Los Angeles, California, founder and chairman of The Jerde Partnership, a design architecture and urban planning firm specializing in the design of shopping malls that has created a number of commercial developments around the globe. Jerde became well known as an innovator in the design of malls and related spaces. His firm has grown into a multi-disciplinary firm with offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, California, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.
Description:Christopher Alexander (1936–2022) was an architect, urban theorist, and mathematician known for his work on pattern-based design and human-centered architecture. His book A Pattern Language (1977) introduced timeless design principles that create functional, livable spaces based on human needs. Alexander emphasized organic, adaptable urban planning over rigid structures, influencing placemaking, sustainable architecture, and software design. His ideas continue to shape community-driven urban development worldwide.
Description:A sociologist and urbanist, Whyte conducted detailed studies on how people use public spaces. His work, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces (1980), analyzed seating, walkability, and social interaction, influencing the design of parks, plazas, and streets to encourage engagement.
Description:Sustainability refers to the ability to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It involves balancing environmental, social, and economic factors to ensure long-term health, resilience, and well-being for both people and the planet. Key principles of sustainability include: Environmental Sustainability: Protecting natural resources, reducing pollution, and maintaining biodiversity. Using renewable resources, promoting energy efficiency, and minimizing waste and carbon footprints. Social Sustainability: Promoting social equity, inclusion, and community well-being. Ensuring access to basic needs like education, healthcare, and housing while fostering social cohesion and cultural diversity. Economic Sustainability: Supporting economic growth while ensuring that it is equitable, stable, and resilient. Encouraging practices that support long-term economic prosperity without depleting resources or causing harm to people or the environment. In essence, sustainability is about creating systems, practices, and lifestyles that are resilient, regenerative, and mindful of both human and ecological needs, ensuring a balanced and healthy future for all.
Description:Urban Revitalization refers to the process of rejuvenating and transforming deteriorating or underdeveloped urban areas into vibrant, functional, and sustainable spaces. It involves the renewal of physical infrastructure, the enhancement of social services, and the promotion of economic development to improve the quality of life for residents and attract investment. Urban revitalization seeks to address issues such as blight, environmental degradation, and economic decline while fostering community involvement and sustainable growth. Key components of urban revitalization include: Physical Revitalization: Improving the built environment by renovating or repurposing old buildings, upgrading infrastructure (e.g., roads, parks, utilities), and creating new public spaces. Economic Revitalization: Encouraging local business growth, attracting new investments, and providing job opportunities. It also involves promoting mixed-use developments that combine residential, commercial, and recreational spaces. Social Revitalization: Enhancing the quality of life for residents by improving access to education, healthcare, affordable housing, and community services. It also focuses on fostering social cohesion and reducing inequality. Cultural Revitalization: Celebrating and preserving the cultural heritage of the area while integrating contemporary art and design that reflect the community’s identity. Environmental Sustainability: Incorporating green spaces, renewable ene
Description:Tactical Placemaking is the process of creating Quality Places that uses a deliberate, often phased approach to change that begins with a short term commitment and realistic expectations that can start quickly (and often at low cost).