T H E VA LU E O F S PA C E S & Q UA L I T Y O F P U B L I C L I F E

T H E P I A Z Z A D E L C A M P I D O G L I O

BY JEREMY FUNG, SERENA LEUNG, SABRINA JUNG, MOSES IP, KATIE NG, TINK NEWMAN

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

C O P E N H A G E NO P P O R T U N I T Y T O R E B U I L D

THE COPENHAGEN FIRE OF 1728 WAS THE LARGEST FIRE

IN THE HISTORY OF COPENHAGEN. IT DESTROYED

AROUND 28% OF THE CITY AND THE RECONSTRUCTION

LASTS UNTIL 1737. ANOTHER FIRE ALSO HAPPENED IN

1795 DESTROYING WHAT ALMOST ALL OF WHAT WAS

LEFT OF THE MEDIEVAL COPENHAGEN. AFTER ALL THE

DESTRUCTION, COPENHAGEN WAS GIVEN A CHANCE TO

REBUILD AND IMPROVE ITS URBAN DESIGN.

w h e r e C o p e n h a g e n w a s b u r n e d

JAN GEHL

COPENHAGEN IS KNOWN TO LOCALS AS A PLACE THAT IS EASY OUTGOING, MODERN - [WITH] MORE SPACES IN THE STREETS, [WITH AN]

EASY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO FOLLOW. IT IS EASY TO TRAVEL, [WITH] MANY BICYCLES - LESS CARS - CLEANER AIR.

- JULIA, COPENHAGEN LOCAL, PAST SFU EXCHANGE STUDENT STUDYING BUSINESS IN INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY.“

”

DUE TO THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE, COPENHAGEN HAS A FLEXIBLE

AND APPROACHABLE SPACE THAT ALLOWS EVENTS AND EXHIBITION DISPLAYS TO TAKE

PLACE. MANY OF COPENHAGEN’S BUILDINGS HAVE VERTICAL, CHANGING STRUCTURES

IN THEIR FACADES WHICH MAKES PROMENADES MORE ENJOYABLE. THE SOFT FACADES

OF THE GLAZED STORE FRONTS ALLOW PASSERBYS TO INTERACT WITH, LOOK INSIDE

AND SOMETIMES TOUCH WHAT THE STORE IS SELLING.

E D G E S C R E A T E A N A C C E S S I B L E I N T E R F A C E

IN COPENHAGEN, A COHESIVE NETWORK FOR BICYCLES COMPRISING ALL PARTS OF THE CITY HAS GRADUALLY BEEN ESTABLISHED.

TRAFFIC IS SO QUIET ON SMALL SIDE STREETS AND RESIDENTIAL STREETS IN 15 AND 30 KM PER HOUR/9 AND 19 MPH ZONES.

ON MOST STREETS, THE NETWORK CONSISTS OF BICYCLE PATHS ALONG THE SIDEWALKS, TYPICALLY USING THE CURBSTONES AS

DIVIDERS TOWARD THE SIDEWALK, AS WELL AS PARKING AND DRIVING LANES. IN SOME PLACES BIKE LANES ARE NOT DELIMITED BY

CURBSTONES, BUT RATHER MARKED WITH PAINTED STRIPES INSIDE A ROW OF PARKED CARS, SO THAT THE CARS PROTECT THE

BICYCLES FROM MOTORIZED TRAFFIC. IN FACT, THIS SYSTEM IS KNOWN AS “COPENHAGEN-STYLE BICYCLE LANES.”

A R E D U C E D S C A L E A N D E M B R A C E D

D E M O G R A P H I C S

“OUR APPROACH TO DESIGN EXTENDS BEYOND THE USE OF

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND ADVOCATING WALKING, CYCLING

AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT. WE PROMOTE A HOLISTIC

LIFESTYLE. OUR DESIGN SOLUTIONS PRIORITIZE LIFE QUALITY,

HEALTH, SAFETY AND AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL. “

-JAN GEHL

A R E C O R D O F P U B L I C L I F E

.

A GOOD CITY IS LIKE A GOOD PARTY – PEOPLE STAY MUCH LONGER THAN

REALLY NECESSARY BECAUSE THEY ARE ENJOYING THEMSELVES” - JAN GEHL

PEOPLE COME WHERE PEOPLE ARE” - AS PEOPLE SEE OTHER PEOPLE DOING/WATCHING SOMETHING,

THEY JOIN IN THE HUMAN DIMENSION.

L I F E : N E C E S S A R Y, O P T I O N A L & S O C I A L A C T I V I T I E S

““

UP UNTIL 1939, COPENHAGEN WAS A BICYCLE CITY. BUT BY THE MID 50’S, CARS HAVE INVADED DUE TO THE CHEAP PETROLEUM

READILY AVAILABLE. THE FIRST DANISH HIGHWAY HØRSHOLMVEJEN WAS BUILT AND BY 1960’S, PEOPLE STARTED COMPLAINING ABOUT

THE DISRUPTION CAUSED BY THE CARS. CARS WERE THEN REMOVED 1 KILOMETER AWAY FROM STRØGET STREET, THE LARGEST

PEDESTRIAN SHOPPING STREET.

NOW

IN HOPES TO INCREASE THE 36% OF TRIPS BY BIKE, HELMETS ARE NOT REQUIRED. AS WELL, IN THE WINTER, SNOW IS REMOVED FROM

BICYCLE TRACKS FIRST.

S A F E T Y M A K I N G T R A F F I C S A F E R

“CARS- THERE ARE OF COURSE. BUT THERE ARE NOT BIG PROBLEMS ON THE STREETS. PEOPLE DRIVE CAREFULLY. ALCOHOL IS TOO

EXPENSIVE TO DRIVE DRUNK, ALTHOUGH AS A NATION LIKE TO DRINK (EVEN DURING THE DAY).”

- JULIA

“PEDESTRIAN AREAS AND BICYCLE PATHS SHOULD BE CLEARED BEFORE ROADS FOR CAR TRAFFIC”

- GEHL““

S U S T A I N A B L E I N C L U S I V E E N V I R O N M E N T

BICYCLE PATHS IN COPENHAGEN VARY IN WIDTH FROM 1.7 TO 4 METERS/5.5 TO 13 FEET, WITH 2.5 METERS/8.2

FEET AS THE RECOMMENDED MINIMUM.

AS BICYCLE TRAFFIC IS GRADUALLY DEVELOPED INTO A VERSATILE, POPULAR TRANSPORT SYSTEM, MANY

NEW AND WIDER BICYCLES APPEAR ON THE STREET SCENE. THESE INCLUDE THREE-WHEELED TRANSPORT

BICYCLES FOR CHILDREN AND GOODS, HANDICAP BICYCLES AND BICYCLE TAXIS. ALL OF THESE TRANSPORT

OPTIONS REQUIRE ROOM, AND SENIOR BIKERS AS WELL AS THE MANY PARENTS WHO TRANSPORT THEIR

CHILDREN BY BICYCLE NEED INCREASED REASSURANCE THAT THEY WON’T BE PUSHED AND CROWDED.

A STUDY CONDUCTED IN COPENHAGEN IN 2005 CONCLUDED THAT ONE OF THE CITY’S MOST PRESSING

PROBLEMS WAS HEAVY CONGESTION ON BICYCLE PATHS. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS SINCE ADOPTED AN

EXPANSION OF THE WIDTH OF BICYCLE PATHS IN THE MOST POPULAR STREETS AND IS CURRENTLY CARRYING

OUT THIS POLICY.

IN ITALY, IT IS COMMON FOR STORES, BANKS, AND STREETS TO BE CLOSED AND EMPTY DURING LUNCH TIME FOR AT LEAST TWO

HOURS. EVEN BUSINESSES COME TO A HALT. ITALIANS VALUE THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING THEIR LIFE, SO SPENDING AN HOUR OR TWO

FOR LUNCH IS A DAILY EVENT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT INCORPORATES A TRADITIONAL TWO TO THREE COURSE MEAL WITH THEIR FAMILY

AND FRIENDS. BY 2 O’CLOCK, PEOPLE WILL ROAM THE STREETS ONCE AGAIN UNTIL DINNER AT 7:30PM, AND DISAPPEAR ONCE MORE

UNTIL THEY ARE FINISHED.

S L I D E 1 6 P D C

P I A Z Z A D E L C A M P I D O G L I O

HISTORICALLY, CHRISTIAN IV LED DENMARK INTO A THIRTY-YEAR WAR AGAINST SWEDEN, ULTIMATELY LOSING AND

LEADING HIS NATION INTO AN ERA OF DEBT. THE DANISH MONARCHS WERE KNOWN TO HAVE PLACED HIGH TAXES ON

THEIR CITIZENS TO BOOST THE ECONOMY, ENSURING THAT THE CITY OF COPENHAGEN RECEIVES OPTIMUM MAINTENANCE.

WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, THE CITY WAS EXPERIENCING ISOLATED SECTIONS DUE TO THE

INCREASING DIFFICULTY TO FIND ANY FORM OF SPACE FOR VEHICLES. AS SUCH, THE IDEA OF PEDESTRIANISING STROGET

STREET WAS PROPOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE REACTION FROM THE PUBLIC WAS NEGATIVE, STATING THAT A

WALKING STREET, NORMALLY FOUND IN ITALY, WOULD NEVER WORK IN DENMARK. THE NEW STREET, HOWEVER,

TRIUMPHED OVER ITS CRITICS , PAVING THE WAY FOR MANY MORE PEDESTRIANISED STREETS.

FIRST L I F E , THEN S P A C E S , THEN B U I L D I N G S – THE OTHER WAY AROUND NEVER WORKS. - JAN GEHL

C U L T U R A L A S P E C T S

“ ”

HISTORICALLY, CHRISTIAN IV LED DENMARK INTO A THIRTY-YEAR WAR AGAINST SWEDEN, ULTIMATELY LOSING AND LEADING HIS

NATION INTO AN ERA OF DEBT. THE DANISH MONARCHS WERE KNOWN TO HAVE PLACED HIGH TAXES ON THEIR CITIZENS TO BOOST THE

ECONOMY, ENSURING THAT THE CITY OF COPENHAGEN RECEIVES OPTIMUM MAINTENANCE.

“FIRST LIFE, THEN SPACES, THEN BUILDINGS – THE OTHER WAY AROUND NEVER WORKS.”- JAN GEHL

WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, THE CITY WAS EXPERIENCING ISOLATED SECTIONS DUE TO THE INCREASING

DIFFICULTY TO FIND ANY FORM OF SPACE FOR VEHICLES. AS SUCH, THE IDEA OF PEDESTRIANISING STROGET STREET WAS PROPOSED

TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE REACTION FROM THE PUBLIC WAS NEGATIVE, STATING THAT A WALKING STREET, NORMALLY FOUND IN

ITALY, WOULD NEVER WORK IN DENMARK. THE NEW STREET, HOWEVER, TRIUMPHED OVER ITS CRITICS , PAVING THE WAY FOR MANY

MORE PEDESTRIANISED STREETS

S L I D E 1 8 C P HE C O N O M I C S H I F T

THE MAJOR INDUSTRIES IN DENMARK RELY HEAVILY ON MANUFACTURING (73.3% OF GDP), WHICH NORMALLY HAS POLLUTION AS A

BY-PRODUCT. HOWEVER, BECAUSE DENMARK ALSO RELIES ON AGRICULTURAL AND FISHING PRODUCTS FOR CONSUMPTION (18.7%), IT

IS IMPERATIVE THAT THEY WATCH THEIR LEVELS OF POLLUTION TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION. MUCH OF WHAT DRAWS VISITORS TO

VISIT AND SPEND MONEY IN COPENHAGEN IS THE HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE, BASED ON THE LESSER POLLUTION LEVELS, THE DESIGN AND

EXPERIENCE OF THE CITY ITSELF. IT WOULD BE IN THE CITY’S BEST INTERESTS TO MAINTAIN A WELL-DESIGNED PUBLIC SPACE.

P I A Z Z A D E L C A M P I D O G L I O

COPENHAGEN IS A CLEAN CITY, WHICH NOT MANY PLACES CAN BOAST ABOUT.

IT IS HEALTHY AND SPACIOUS, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LIVE WITH MORE HAPPINESS AND LESS STRESS, POLLUTION AND TRAFFIC. - JULIA

S L I D E

M U L T I P L I C I T Y, D I V E R S I T Y, C R E A T I V I T Y

A REQUIREMENT TO ENSURE THAT A CITY PROVIDES EACH INDIVIDUAL A MEMORABLE AND PLEASANT EXPERIENCE, IS FOR IT TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME

ANYONE AND EVERYONE INTO IT. TO ENSURE SUCH DEMOCRATIC OPTIONS, IT WILL FIRST NEED TO BE TOLERANT AND AS SUCH, THE CITY SHOULD

POSSESS A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.

COPENHAGEN’S HISTORY AS A TRADE HARBOUR HAS ALWAYS INVITED THE POSSIBILITY OF AN INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCE, AND AS SUCH, THEY HAVE MADE

THE EFFORT TO MAKE THEIR CITY MORE APPEALING AS A MEETING PLACE. THE INVITATION TO PEOPLE THROUGH PEDESTRIANISED STREETS AND OPENED

FACADES HAVE ESTABLISHED THEM AS A CITY THAT CARES ABOUT PEOPLE.

THE EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC INTERACTION AND SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE HAS LED DESIGNERS TO TRY AND BLEND MODERNISM WITH A SENSE OF DANISH

TRADITIONAL DESIGN, WHICH CAN BE SHOWN THROUGH THE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN STUDIO CALLED “&TRADITION”.

CAPITOLINE HILL PIAZZA DEL COMPIDOGLIO IS PLACED

DIRECTLY AT THE TOP OF THE HILL. DESPITE BEING THE

SMALLEST OF ROME'S SEVEN HILLS, IT WAS HELD

SACRED AS THE RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL CENTER OF

THE CITY. LEFT IN RUINS BY THE MIDDLE AGES, FARNESE

POPE PAUL III COMMENDED MICHELANGELO IN HOPES TO

RESTORE ITS ONCE GRAND STATE FOR THE ENTRANCE OF

CHARLES V, THE HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR.

C A P I T O L I N E H I L L

P I A Z Z A D E L C A M P I D O G L I O

P A L A Z Z O S E N A T O R I O

P A L A Z Z O N U O V O

P A L A Z Z O D E I C O N S E R V A T O R I

BUILT ON THE REMAINS OF THE TABULARIUM, A RECORD BUILDING, THE ESSENTIAL USAGE OF THIS BUILDING WAS MADE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, WHERE

THE ROMAN SENATE WAS SEATED. THIS BUILDING WAS ALSO THE BACKGROUND TO THE PIAZZA, TO WHICH MICHELANGELO SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED

A DOUBLE-FLIGHT OF STAIRS LEADING TOWARDS IT, AT THE SAME TIME SEPARATING THE FACADE.

P I A Z Z A D E L C A M P I D O G L I O

THE EXTERIORS OF THIS FACADE IS IDENTICAL TO PALAZZO DEI CONSERVATORI, CREATED BY MICHELANGELO ONE CENTURY EARLIER, WITH THE PURPOSE OF

FINISHING THE PIAZZA SYMMETRICALLY.

CONSISTED OF AN ELECTED MAGISTRATURE WHO HAD THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THE CITY. MANY SCULPTURE AND PAINTINGS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN IT AND IS

NOW A MUSEUM MADE UP WITH PALAZZO NUOVO.

COPENHAGEN IS A CLEAN CITY, WHICH NOT MANY PLACES CAN BOAST ABOUT.

IT IS HEALTHY AND SPACIOUS, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LIVE WITH MORE HAPPINESS AND LESS STRESS, POLLUTION AND TRAFFIC. - JULIA

H E A L T H

”“IN ITALY, IT IS COMMON FOR STORES, BANKS, AND STREETS TO BE CLOSED AND EMPTY DURING LUNCH TIME FOR AT LEAST

TWO HOURS. EVEN BUSINESSES COME TO A HALT. ITALIANS VALUE THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING THEIR LIFE, SO SPENDING

AN HOUR OR TWO FOR LUNCH IS A DAILY EVENT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT INCORPORATES A TRADITIONAL TWO TO THREE

COURSE MEAL WITH THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. BY 2 O’CLOCK, PEOPLE WILL ROAM THE STREETS ONCE AGAIN UNTIL

DINNER AT 7:30PM, AND DISAPPEAR ONCE MORE UNTIL THEY ARE FINISHED.

H E A L T H , H A P P I N E S S

T E X T U R E & D E T A I L SCITY BUILDINGS HOLD ATTRACTIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS WALKING SLOWLY. APPEALING

GROUND FLOORS OFFER TEXTURE, GOOD MATERIALS AND A WEALTH OF DETAILS.“ ”

” C O R D O N A T A : A R A M P E D S T A I R C A S E

AND FOR MANY GROUPS IN SOCIETY STAIRS ARE A DIRECT BARRIER.“ ”

E D G E S T H A T D E F I N E S P A C E

THE EDGES OF A CITY LIMIT THE VISUAL FIELD AND DEFINE INDIVIDUAL SPACE. EDGES MAKE A VITAL

CONTRIBUTION TO SPATIAL EXPERIENCE AND TO THE AWARENESS OF INDIVIDUAL SPACE AS A PLACE. “ ”p e r f e c t l y p r o p o r t i o n e d s q u a r e

A T T R A C T I V E S E A T I N G

WHEN LOCAL CLIMATE, PLACEMENT, PROTECTION AND VIEW JOIN FORCES,

THE SEATING PLACE PROVIDES THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS.“ ”

E D G E S T H A T D E F I N E S P A C EA T T R A C T I V E S E A T I N G

WHEN LOCAL CLIMATE, PLACEMENT, PROTECTION AND VIEW JOIN FORCES,

THE SEATING PLACE PROVIDES THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS.“ ”

E D G E E F F E C T

”

T H E V I E W

IF THE PLACE OFFERS SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS SUCH AS WATER, TREES, FLOWERS, FINE SPACE,

GOOD ARCHITECTURE AND ART WORKS, THE INDIVIDUAL WANTS A GOOD VIEW OF THEM.“ ”

“ ”DOMINATED SQUARE IS A SQUARE THAT IS DIRECTED WITH BUILDINGS OR

OTHER ELEMENTS LIKE FOUNTAINS AND THE STRUCTURES ARE RELATED WITH

T O I N V I T E SEEING AND HEARING CONTACTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND COMMON FORM OF CONTACT

BETWEEN PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SPACE. PHYSICAL PLANNING CAN INVITE OR REPEL BASIC SEEING AND HEARING CONTACTS.“ ”

”

THE KEY TO ENSURING BETTER CONDITIONS FOR THE HUMAN DIMENSION

-JAN GEHL“ ”

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GEHL, J. (2010). CITIES FOR PEOPLE, WASHINGTON: ISLAND PRESS.

GEHL, J. GEMZØE, L. KIRKNÆS, S & SØNDERGAARD, B.S. (2006). NEW CITY LIFE, COPENHAGEN: THE DANISH ARCHITECHTURAL PRESS.

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