Soothing Urbanism

Restoring Mental Health of Diverse Individuals Through Public Space Design

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

C. Mellink Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

Maurice Harteveld Urban Design - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
D. Piccinini Landscape Architecture - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
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Published Date

27-05-2024

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

Cities all over the world are densifying because of population growth and urban popularity. By 2050, more than two thirds of the global population is expected to live in cities. (Zumelzu & Herrman-Lunecke, 2021) This trend raises concerns about the influence of urban environments on mental well-being of residents, as city living has been linked to increased risks of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress. (UD/MH, 2022) Where especially the acceleration of urbanization and its spatial implications is argued to be of a negative influence on inhabitants mental health. (Zumelzu & Herrman-Lunecke, 2021) However, urban living also offers mental health benefits and empirical evidence tells us that environmental factors can have both a positive and negative influence on mental health. (Hajrashoelih et al., 2018) The relation of spatial design and mental well-being is therefore starting to emerge as a fundamental concept, and leads to the rising importance of designing cities with restorative qualities.

Urban areas must prioritize promoting good mental health and providing support for those with mental health issues, ensuring inclusiveness through accessible restorative qualities (Roe & McCay, 2021; UD/MH, n.d.). However, densifying urban environments exacerbate segregation and inequality, hindering the population's ability to benefit from mental health-promoting urban design and increasing the risk of mental health problems (Roe & McCay, 2021). This asks for an inclusive and restorative approach, which has led to the main research question of this thesis: To what extent can public space design restore mental health of diverse individuals within the densifying urban context? With a focus on the differences in experience between various social groups and an emphasis on marginalized groups. This choice driven by the desire to see if the needs of some groups are overlooked. The research will be carried out within the selected case study: Bos en Lommer, Amsterdam. To build a theoretical background, research into mental health, methods for restorative and inclusive design, and their environmental implications will be done. Using this knowledge, the case is analysed from an academic perspective to identify important areas for increasing the restorative and inclusive environment.

Workshops and interviews with diverse, marginalized resident groups are conducted to understand their experiences and needs within the urban environment. These include methods like mental mapping and photo evaluation, aiming to capture subjective place experiences. The utilization of creative, participatory, and qualitative research methods is emphasized. which is also acknowledged as crucial within the framework for restorative cities by Roe and McCay (2021). The results of this extensive analysis through fieldwork are used to discover the conflicts in experiences among diverse user groups within Bos & Lommer. Finally, findings from theory and research are integrated in the proposal of a design example on a medium scale, illustrating various small-scale conflicts within one site.