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Gehl Architects, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, operates as an urban research and design consulting firm. It was established in 2000 by architect and professor Jan Gehl, born in 1936, and urban designer Helle Søholt, building on Gehl's four decades of academic research into public spaces and human behavior. Gehl's early work included a 1965 study trip to Italy with his wife Ingrid, a psychologist, observing urban life patterns, followed by systematic "Public Space Public Life" analyses in Copenhagen starting in the late 1960s. These efforts documented seasonal and daily activities in city centers, influencing his 1971 book Life Between Buildings, later translated into over 20 languages.
The firm shifted Gehl's theories into practice, conducting studies in cities like Oslo in the late 1980s, London in 2003, and New York in 2007-2008, where recommendations shaped pedestrian and cycling improvements. Projects ranged from Brighton's New Road redesign, which earned multiple UK awards, to Gothenburg's harbor-front planning. Copenhagen's municipal vision, A Metropolis for People, drew directly from their methods after 40 years of local collaboration.
Jan Gehl retired as owner in 2011 and from the company in 2016, though he remains an advisor. Leadership expanded with partners including David Sim, Henriette Vamberg, and Esben Neander Kristensen. By 2020, marking 20 years, Gehl had grown into a global networked organization with studios in San Francisco and New York. It received Scandinavia's Nykredit Architecture Prize in 2013 for advancing people-oriented urban planning. Recent activities involve masterplanning for developers and public authorities, emphasizing data-driven strategies for urban developments worldwide.