How has Urban Design developed over the last 10-15 years?

The attention towards the spaces surrounding our buildings – private as well as commercial and public – has been growing a lot during the last years. Urban spaces are activated and designed both for recreation, well-being, inclusion, and the feeling of safety. The quality of the urban space has been recognized as a driver for real estate prices and gained larger focus. As more and more people choose to live in the cities, the urgent need for attractive urban spaces of high quality and with a wide range of activity offers has been a lot in focus. New movements like urban gardening, open air activities, outside workspaces, etc. stem from this need.

How does Urban Design fit into a larger architectural value chain?

Urban design can support the purpose of a public space and activate it. The quality of the design you find in urban spaces is of great importance. The perception of value of the offered functions and the aesthetics has a strong impact on people’s behavior. The more public spaces are being accepted and used, the bigger is the user’s feeling of ownership – and the better they take care of it. Urban design and architecture are closely connected. They form a total experience representing the inside and the outside of a building. The space around and in between buildings influences the overall experience of the building’s and the city’s quality. Well-designed urban spaces can dissolve the boundaries between inside and outside and thus expand the space of your personal habitat. By creating the framework for physical activities and for the connection between people, well-designed urban spaces support inclusion, promote physical and social well-being and the feeling of living in a safe space.

In what ways does Urban Design create value today and in the future?

Physical and social well-being are the essential drivers for a healthy population. The inclusion of people with disabilities and special needs, differences in age and cultural backgrounds create the framework for a heathy and save community and enhances the value of living and working together in the cities.