Mental, social & physical aspects of a healthy city

Can we design healthy cities or healthy architecture? There are claims that architects and urban designers can make people healthier and happier, but the evidence for this is contested. Meanwhile the general population is getting unhealthier and a public health crisis looms. The research critically examines the possibility of a healthier built environment using a design-research methodology. The research uses design praxis as the lens through which to explore various urban health issues; developing alternative design outcomes for subsequent appraisal. The research adopts the World Health Organisation definition of health: “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being”. The three facets of health: physical, mental and social are used throughout the research process for analysis and evaluation. Participatory design and codesign approaches are embedded into a collaborative group design praxis. The research provides a clearer framework for investigating the detailed design of the built environment in order to enable and facilitate healthier lifestyles and improve wellbeing.