*This article is based on the latest research and data as of February 2026.

1. A Quiet Rebellion Against Modernism: Jan Gehl's Origins and the "12 Quality Standards"

Copenhagen in the 1960s: Questioning urban planning without people

Let's turn the clock back to the 1960s. At the time, developed countries were experiencing rapid motorization (the popularization of automobiles) and the heyday of modernist architecture, as represented by Le Corbusier and others. The landscape of forests of skyscrapers with highways weaving through them was seen as a symbol of "progress."

However, while studying architecture in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, a young Jan Gehl began to feel a fundamental sense of discomfort during conversations with his wife, psychologist Ingrid Gehl: "Why do architects and urban planners only discuss the shapes of buildings and the width of roads, and yet are indifferent to the behavior and psychology of the 'people' who live there?"

At the time, government agencies had departments that measured vehicle traffic, but no city in the world had a department that investigated how people were enjoying conversations in plazas or how long they were resting on benches. Gehl realized that this "data vacuum" was the root cause of cities lacking people.

The Miracle of Strøget and the Establishment of the PSPL Survey

In 1962, an experimental project was proposed to turn Copenhagen's main street, Strøget, into a pedestrian-only street. Initially, there was fierce opposition from local media and citizens, with comments such as, "Danish people are not Italian. We don't have a culture of enjoying cafes outdoors in the cold," and "Businesses will go out of business."

However, Gehl and his colleagues implemented a unique method that would later be called the "Public Space Public Life (PSPL) Survey." This involved thoroughly observing and recording people's subtle behavior from an "insect's eye level" perspective, at the same height as pedestrians, rather than from a "bird's eye view" looking down from above.

History has proven the results. Freed from the noise of cars, people poured into the space, and a new culture of enjoying outdoor terraces wrapped in blankets even in winter took root. Based on this successful experience, Gehl systematized the "conditions for human comfort" and compiled them into the following "12 quality standards," which are cited by organizations such as UN-Habitat.

2. Global Paradigm Shift: The Impact of Times Square, New York and Data Comparison

Keeping cars out of the 'world's most famous intersection'

Gale's philosophy achieved a decisive victory in New York in the 2000s, when then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan set out to reform Times Square, a district plagued by chronic congestion and accidents.

In February 2009, they announced plans for a "pilot program," which began in stages at the end of May. By the end of August, they had completed the pedestrianization process with a simple paint job and the installation of cheap beach chairs. The effectiveness of this experiment was assessed using indicators such as taxi speeds measured by GPS data, the number of accidents and injuries, pedestrian volume, and surveys of public satisfaction with the space.

As a result, traffic flow in the area improved rather than slowed down, pedestrian injuries dropped dramatically, and pedestrian volume and satisfaction with the space improved dramatically. Following this success, the area was designed by Snøhetta and developed into a permanent plaza by 2017.

[Comparative Data] Traditional Urban Planning vs. the Gaelic Approach

So, what are the specific differences between traditional methods and Gale's approach? The table below summarizes the key differences.

3. Modern Issues Revealed by AI Analysis: Accelerating Cities and the Disappearance of "Staying"

The impact of a 15% increase in walking speed and a 14% decrease in the share of people staying

In recent years, advances in AI and computer vision (image recognition technology) have transformed Gehl's analogue methods into digital ones, but the data they have uncovered has revealed serious problems facing modern cities.

A related study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) used AI to compare pedestrian data from the past 30 years in public spaces in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, revealing some shocking facts.Average walking speed increased by 151 TP3T between 1980 and 2010, while the proportion of "lingerers" who spend their time walking at less than a certain speed, such as stopping in a space, decreased by 141 TP3T.That's why.

What does this data tell us? It shows that the pursuit of efficiency through smartphones and digitalization has transformed urban spaces from places to be "seen" to places to simply pass through. People walk quickly, as if constantly being chased by something, and the "white space" they have, such as the chance to meet a friend on a street corner and have a quick chat, is disappearing.

That is why, in future urban planning, it will be more important than ever to not just install hard infrastructure such as benches, but also to design "activities" and "mechanisms (software)" that will make people want to stop and take a look.

4. Pros and Cons: Economic Benefits and Side Effects of Public Space Investment

Economic returns from walkable cities

The old criticism that pedestrian-oriented urban planning will stagnate the economy is now refuted by the latest data. As evidence from around the world shows, walkable urban environments bring about tangible benefits, such as:

5. Implementation Strategy in Toyako Town, Hokkaido: Making Winter Your Ally

Redefining "walkability" in snowy, cold regions

So far, we have looked at examples from major cities around the world, but these examples cannot be directly applied to rural areas of Japan, especially to cold, snowy regions like Hokkaido, because the severe cold and snow in winter are the biggest enemies of spending time outdoors.

To implement a Gaelic approach in a tourist destination like Toyako, three site-specific perspectives are essential:

1. Switching to "winter activities"

The idea is to use snow as a resource, rather than simply viewing it as an obstacle to be removed. In parallel with the hard aspects of developing underground spaces and covered arcades, outdoor bonfire spots and food stalls offering hot drinks will be set up, and by combining these with the soft aspects of events to enjoy the cold, we will intentionally create a winter stay.

2. Active facades that encourage tourists to circulate throughout the area

One of the current challenges facing Toyako Onsen is that tourists tend to do all their eating, drinking and shopping inside the huge hotels, making it difficult for money to be spent on the streets of the hot spring town.
An effective solution to this problem is an "active facade" that increases the transparency of the building's first floor (facade). A design that allows the bustle inside the restaurant to be seen from the street and has terrace seating spilling out onto the sidewalk piques pedestrians' curiosity, motivating them to "go outside the hotel and take a walk."

3. Mobility rights of the elderly and demand-responsive transportation

Completely eliminating cars would deprive elderly people who cannot live without them of their means of transportation. A hybrid transportation plan based on the idea of a "compact plus network" is needed, which would involve making the center a shared space with pedestrian priority (vehicles are allowed but must drive slowly), while combining AI on-demand buses and winter-safe electric micromobility for access from the periphery.

6. Future Predictions: Towards "Adaptive Public Spaces" Using AI

From a static square to a dynamic city

Finally, we will predict how public spaces will evolve in the future.
The keyword is"Adaptive"is.

Until now, squares and parks have been static once they were built, but in the future, AI and sensors will analyze environmental data in real time, and cities will change shape like living organisms.

For example, canopies automatically deploy when strong sunlight is detected, bench placement is optimized according to the level of congestion, and lighting intensity changes at night to match the flow of people. Such "thoughtful urban spaces" are already becoming technologically possible.
It also incorporates "green infrastructure" as a measure against climate change. Removing asphalt and replacing it with highly permeable green space not only lowers urban temperatures, but also functions as disaster prevention infrastructure, improving drainage during heavy rain.

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