Kristian S. Villadsen

Kristian S. Villadsen is an architect, urban planner and partner at the Copenhagen-based office Gehl. He studied at the Arkitektskolen Aarhus (1999 to 2005), is a guest lecturer at several universities in Denmark, keynote speaker and co-author of numerous publications on the topics of quality of life as well as the social, economic and ecological sustainability of cities.

Together with administrations, research institutes, companies and NGOs, Villadsen develops visions and strategies for the transformation towards a liveable city – regardless of whether it is about the future of mobility, urban master planning or revitalization. His fields of activity range from taking part in political discussions and identifying success criteria up to creating process designs and accompanying pilot projects.

»Which cities are considered to be particularly liveable? Exactly those in which children and older people cavort on the streets. It’s not a coincidence«, says Villadsen. What he appreciates about his hometown Copenhagen is the fact that everything he needs for a good life can be found in a 15-minute radius of pedestrian movement.