The man who helped build Melbourne's laneway culture in the 1990s has turned his gaze to the city's Docklands precinct - and he is not impressed.

A ''very critical'' report on the area by Danish urban designer Jan Gehl, who is visiting Melbourne this week for a lecture series, has been delivered to Places Victoria.

Victoria Harbour at Docklands. Credit:Paul Rovere

The internationally respected consultant promotes the city as a case study for successful urban transformation but is still prepared to give a Danish pasting to its renewed ardour for the 20th-century high-rise.

''They hired us to say what is wrong with Docklands,'' Professor Gehl said before his visit.