David Sim is a renowned architect and urban planning visionary whose work centers on creating human-scale cities that prioritize livability, sustainability, and community connection. As Creative Director at Gehl Architects, Sim has championed the concept of “soft cities” – urban environments designed for human interaction rather than cars. His practical approach to urban design has influenced projects across the globe. He was in Prague at the invitation of the Slovak developer Corwin and spoke to me before giving a talk at CAMP.
Your work has been described as revolutionary in the field of urban planning. Could you tell us about your concept of a “soft city”?
David Sim: A soft city is fundamentally about creating urban environments that work at a human scale. It’s about designing cities that foster connection rather than isolation, that make daily life easier and more enjoyable, and that facilitate sustainable living through proximity and accessibility.
How does this approach differ from conventional urban planning?
Conventional planning often prioritizes efficiency, infrastructure, and sometimes monumental architecture. These elements certainly have their place, but the soft city approach begins with the human experience – how people move through space, interact with neighbors, access daily needs, and find comfort in their environment. We focus on creating permeable, connected neighborhoods where people can live, work, and play without long commutes or car dependency.
Your background is in architecture. How did you transition into focusing on the broader scale of urban planning?
Architecture gives you an understanding of buildings and spaces, but I became increasingly interested in what happens between buildings – the public realm where city life unfolds. At Gehl Architects, we believe that understanding human behavior is essential to good design. So while my training was in creating structures, my passion evolved toward creating environments where human interaction can flourish.
You’ve worked on projects across different countries and cultures. How do you adapt your principles to different contexts?
The fundamental human needs remain consistent – safety, comfort, connection, access to necessities – but how these needs manifest varies widely based on climate, culture, and context. Before proposing any solutions, we spend considerable time observing how people actually use spaces in a particular city. This empirical approach helps us design interventions that respect and enhance local patterns of life rather than imposing foreign concepts.
Climate change is increasingly affecting our cities. How does your approach address sustainability?
Sustainability is embedded in the soft city approach. When neighborhoods are compact, diverse, and walkable, car dependency naturally decreases. When buildings are designed with passive climate solutions appropriate to their location, energy consumption drops. When people can access daily needs within a short walk or bike ride, both emissions and stress levels fall. Sustainable cities and livable cities are really two sides of the same coin.
What’s one simple change that could make most cities more livable?
If I had to choose just one thing, I’d say increasing the permeability of neighborhoods – creating more connections between places so people can move freely on foot or by bike. This might mean adding pedestrian pathways, removing barriers between developments, or converting some car infrastructure to mixed-use public space. When people can move easily through their neighborhoods, everything else – social connection, access to services, physical activity – becomes easier too.
What gives you hope about the future of urban environments?
I see tremendous energy around reclaiming cities for people, particularly from younger generations who are questioning car-centric development patterns. Many cities that were designed primarily for vehicles are now systematically reorienting toward human needs. Each successful project creates enthusiasm and momentum for more changes. The pandemic also highlighted the importance of having livable neighborhoods where people can meet their daily needs close to home. There’s growing recognition that the quality of everyday life matters profoundly, and that’s exactly what the soft city approach aims to enhance.
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