Urban Design and Wellbeing

How Urban Design Can Impact Mental Health

There has been a lot of research on how urban design might benefit physical health. This includes lowering obesity and lung illness. Despite the abundance of research and guidelines for healthy cities, mental health is frequently disregarded. This is sad since mental health issues have a significant influence on cities. This forms a vicious circle.

Urban design has fascinating implications for population mental health. There is significant evidence that urban design may promote good mental health. It may also prevent mental illness and assist people with mental health issues. Architects, urban planners, developers, politicians, and others can now understand this research.

Green space and access to nature

• Green spaces have a significant impact on mental health and well-being. Access to natural environments can likely improve and maintain mental health and wellness during people’s daily routines in communities.

  It is effective for promoting mental health, also effective for reducing depression and stress. It improves social and cognitive functioning, including in those with ADHD, also reduces aggressiveness in dementia patients.

How it works:

– There are a range of ways in which green space can improve mental health. The main theories:
– Promotes exercise (see below)
– Provides a setting for social interaction, building social networks (see below)
– Biophilia theory (Edward Wilson): humans have a biological need to be in contact with other species.
– Stress reduction theory (Roger Ulrich): distance from everyday demands, aesthetic appreciation, attention driven by interest.
– Attention restoration theory (Rachel and Stephen Kaplan): facilitates attention without concentration.

Urban design actions points: 

Every design ought to have some greenery. Green space appears to have the greatest influence on mental health when walking. Researchers have linked living in greener communities to better mental health. The priority is to ensure that people have consistent, regular exposure to urban nature. This should be part of their daily routines. This includes features like street trees and flowers in commutes. It also includes views of nature from office windows and gardens for lunch. It also includes larger walkable spaces where they can exercise and socialize. It’s crucial to keep in mind that appropriate management of green space is necessary for it to have a favorable effect on mental health. If not, it may become a chaotic, hated, feared, or shunned environment.

Active space for exercise

Positive, regular activity improves mood, wellbeing and many mental health outcomes.

Effective for:

Regular exercise is just as beneficial as antidepressants. It can treat mild to moderate depression. Exercise also boosts self-esteem and well-being. It reduces anxiety and stress. It also alleviates symptoms related to ADHD, dementia, and even schizophrenia. Exercise also helps reverse the weight gain caused by several popular antipsychotic drugs. It lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

How it works: 

The specific mechanisms through which physical activity enhances mental well-being remain unclear. The key hypotheses are: 1) Exercise can enhance brain chemicals such as serotonin. Elevated mood is associated with serotonin. Perhaps exercise also increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which increases neurons in the brain. Exercise promotes better sleep. Better sleep is a key protective element for mental health. Exercise gives you a sense of agency and achievement. This may be powerful for your self-esteem. – Stress resilience: Exercise promotes relaxation and stress resilience. – Social: Exercise promotes excellent social connection.

Urban design action points:

• People may include action opportunities in their daily travel routines around the city. Active transportation is one of the most significant potentials. It boosts safe walkability and likeability. It is achieved by use of protected lanes. There is bicycle parking and accessible linkages between sections of the city.

  This makes walking and cycling more appealing than driving. Safety enhancements include decreased vehicle speeds, larger walkways, and longer crossing times. Good public transportation also encourages people to stroll between train and bus stops. Another option is to incorporate active possibilities into urban areas. This could include making stairs more appealing than elevators or escalators.

  It could also involve building walking loops in parks or establishing outdoor gyms. Of course, there are places designed just for working out. For example, football grounds, tennis courts, and jogging pathways. We should address issues like that. We should also address access to physical activity facilities in low-income and minority communities. Mixed-land use is also important. Placing residential areas near amenities like schools, stores, and libraries helps encourage walking.

Safety in the city

A sense of safety and security is critical to people’s mental health and well-being. Traffic, getting lost, environmental contaminants, and other people’s hazards are all urban perils.

How it works:

Feelings of security in daily life have a significant role in mental health and wellness. People who have their goods stolen or witness violent crime are more likely to experience poor mental health for at least a year after. Feeling uncomfortable raises chronic stress and anxiety levels. It also creates negative thoughts about one’s surroundings. Furthermore, in high-crime areas, people are less likely to take walks or exercise. They’re also less likely to engage in prosocial activities.

Urban design action points: 

• • Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) contains three concepts, plus a fourth. The first concept is natural access control. It includes design that clarifies public paths. It also discourages access to private places. For example, through the placement of entrances, fences, and hedges. Natural surveillance involves designing a location to increase visibility. It allows crime victims to call for help.

  • Territorial reinforcement: Design that clearly demarcate public and private spaces.

  • The ‘broken windows theory’ states that features like broken windows create the impression that the neighborhood tolerates disorder and lack of oversight. It suggests that the neighborhood is unsafe.

  • However, safety is more than just crime prevention. Traffic safety includes designing safe routes for walking and biking in residential, commercial, and industrial areas. It also involves encouraging more walking and cycling. Another type of safety is navigational safety, which is especially important for persons with dementia. This means creating designs with elements that maintain distinct landmarks. These landmarks serve as environmental signals for navigation.

    A balanced approach is required. A secure environment enhances accessibility. However, risk-averse city design might limit action options. It could undermine people’s sense of agency and control.

Transportation and connection

For most people who live in cities, transport use is an integral part of their daily routines.

How it works: 

Efficient and reasonably priced transportation connects communities. It provides opportunities for education, employment, housing, recreation, and social interaction. It also allows access to nature. All of these improve mental wellness. More mental health is associated with living close to public transportation. This is especially true for the elderly. Active transportation options, such as bike lanes and pedestrian facilities, can help improve people’s mental health. They promote physical activity and give access to nature. They enhance safety and even help individuals meet new acquaintances. When automobile infrastructure dominates, roads may separate communities. They also produce noise, pollution, and danger, and limit active transportation options. Time spent commuting takes away from leisure, social activities, and rest. Stressful commutes are associated with increased anxiety, aggression, and poor sleep. Commuting is more stressful for human.

Urban design action points:

Specific interventions may include protected bikeways and networks, bikeshares, bus-only routes, and pedestrian plazas to encourage active commuting, as well as improved public transportation services.

Air pollution

For years, air pollution has been linked to a variety of health effects. Most notably, it is associated with cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. Mental health impacts are less studied. However, evidence is growing that air pollution is linked to depression. For every 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 exposure, the risk of developing depression seems to double. Research suggests a relationship between air pollution and autism spectrum disorders in childhood. It also links air pollution to cognitive decline and psychotic problems later in life. Air pollution affects people differently. It depends on their location, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and age. In the US, poorer inner city districts have greater levels of air pollution and related health risks. However, in other European cities,

How it works:

The specific procedure is not yet known. Air pollution has been associated with a neuroinflammatory response in both animals and humans. This response may cause depressive symptoms. However, it has not been validated. Vascular dementia raises the chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Several studies on psychosis have found heavy metals in air pollution may have an epigenetic influence. This influence contributes to schizophrenia.

Urban design action points: