How to Design Humane Cities - (Construction and Design Manual) by Karsten Pålsson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Taking examples from major European cities, 'Public Spaces and Urbanity' is a practical guide demonstrating what urban development with a human face might look like. This involves renewing and enhancing humane cities using architecture on a human scale while taking their history into account. Thus the book follows the tradition established by Jan Gehl that regards urban space as a framework for people to live in and socialise. The European tradition of the dense classical city marks the point of departure for this book. Special emphasis is placed on physical and spatial parameters, on development patterns and building types, on the guiding principles governing access, and on interconnections with public roads and pathways --all of which form the foundations of urban life as well as cities that provide safety and security. The book is divided into ten thematic chapters, each providing a definition and general outline of core challenges together with proposals for meeting them. An historical outline of urban development and the practically organised thematic structure underlying concepts discussed allow the examples given to greatly broaden the field of understanding around this topic.

Book Synopsis

This book is about renewing the city with room for people, about historical over-lay and respect for the building tradi-tions of the past, and about new archi-tecture on a human scale.

The book takes its departure in the European tradition of the dense classic city. Focus is on phys-ical and spatial relationships, develop-ment patterns, access principles, and their connection to public streets and squares: the elements that make for a rich urban life. Rooted in European traditions, this book is envisioned as a profession-al "instruction manual" that offers ex-amples of a more humane direction for urban conversion. The examples in the book come from major European cities and are set in a broad conceptual frame-work. A historical outline reviews urban development over time. The chapters are organized into tool--oriented themes that help urban planners and architects put the concepts into practice and relate them to their respective challenges.