Wakefield Council and Public Arts started the New Year when they hosted a lecture by Jan Gehl of the internationally renown Gehl Architects of Copenhagen.

The lecture, Creating Human Quality In the City, was the first of its kind to be co-hosted by the authority and took place at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on 8 January before an audience of partnership members, representatives from the world of architecture and leading officers in culture and the arts.

Gehl Architects have been commissioned to bring their expertise to the District and are actively involved in providing advice on the development of key public spaces in Wakefield City and Castleford. Gehl are internally renown in the field of public space and have been central to the development of public space in Copenhagen for many years. There work includes the development of cities such as Madrid, Lyon, Portland USA and Melbourne.

Jan Gehl talked of innovative and exciting ideas of how we can use open spaces in the District. The lecture was of key importance to building a clean and attractive environment for all citizens within the District. This was the second visit to the District to study open spaces and a return to Castleford as part of earlier work to see the Castleford Regeneration Project, now underway in conjunction with Channel 4 which will form the basis of a major national TV series later in 2004.

The lecture stimulated lively debate about the creative use of open spaces to break down barriers between communities in the District, giving people a reason to move between town and village centres for cultural activities.

For further information contact the Partnerships and Neighbourhoods Team on Wakefield 01924 305347.