From his home studio in Copenhagen, Copenhagen-born Danish architect and urban planner JAN GEHL recalls the start of his 65-year-long career focused on people and public life in cities, beginning with Copenhagen. Jan highlights his writings that changed mindsets and his transformation of international cities that became people-centered, and credits like-minded city planners and politicians. In particular, he talks about his 2007–9 work in New York City with the Bloomberg administration.

Jan selects a work by Hans Scherfig from the SMK collection.

https://open.smk.dk/en/artwork/image/KKS2016-2

(Photographer: Kåre Gade)

This conversation with Tina Jøhnk Christensen occurred on May 27, 2025.

----------

We invite you to subscribe to Danish Originals for weekly episodes. You can also find us at:

website: https://danishoriginals.com/

email: [email protected]

----------

And we invite you to donate to the American Friends of Statens Museum for Kunst and become a patron: https://donorbox.org/american-friends-of-statens-museum-for-kunst