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Revolting New York: How 400 years of riot, rebellion, uprising, and revolution shaped a city, edited by Neil Smith and Don Mitchell

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(p. 95). His sixth and final book, How to Study Public Life (2013), focuses on “explaining ways in which public life can be studied, recorded, and systematized” (p. 98). The… Click to show full abstract

(p. 95). His sixth and final book, How to Study Public Life (2013), focuses on “explaining ways in which public life can be studied, recorded, and systematized” (p. 98). The popularity of the book “would suggest that this new professional field is steadily gaining momentum” (p. 101). Matan and Newman shift their focus in Chapter 6 to look at the impact of Gehl’s “public space, public life” studies on seven cities. Three Australian cities are discussed: Perth (1994, 2008, 2015), Melbourne (1994–2004), and Sydney (2007). Perth, in many aspects, is the most interesting case study because many of Gehl’s recommendations have been implemented over a long time frame. The Amman, Jordan (2004–2006), case study focuses on the design of a new urban public square. Three large cities are reviewed as well: London (2002–2004), New York (2007–2013), and Moscow (2012–2013). When analyzing London, Gehl developed the “acupuncture approach,” where he sampled smaller areas of the downtown instead of making a comprehensive study of the entire downtown. The New York study led to the creation of over 500 miles of street bike paths and the redesign of Times Square to a pedestrian-friendly space. The Moscow study led to increased “access to the river and green parks” (p. 134) and the elimination of billboards and illegally parked cars at crosswalks. Most of these case studies include one or two pages of insightful commentary written by local planners or elected officials who have worked with Gehl in their city. I have three small quibbles with the book. It lacks a detailed listing of the 250-plus cities for which Gehl has completed his trademark public space, public life analysis. Second, I would have enjoyed reading quotes from significant interviews that Gehl has given over the years. Finally, the lack of an index is frustrating. These quibbles notwithstanding, I believe that anyone interested in the life and legacy of Jan Gehl should read this book. (Journal of Urban Affairs readers who haven’t heard of Gehl would do well in learning about him.) I thought that Matan and Newman’s focus on Gehl’s written works and the impact of his recommendations in specific cities was very insightful. People Cities is written in nontechnical language that makes it accessible to informed citizens, planners, and students (both undergraduate and graduate).

Keywords: book; new york; study; public life

Journal Title: Journal of Urban Affairs
Year Published: 2019

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