UCalgary Faculty of Graduate Studies’ Post

#publication alert. A new study published in the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health by Dr. Layla McCay and Dr. Jenny Roe explores the profound impact urban design has on mental well-being. This research emphasizes how thoughtful city planning can enhance mental health outcomes for urban residents. Here are our top 3 takeaways: 1. Green Spaces: Access to parks and natural areas significantly boosts mental health. 2. Community Connectivity: Well-designed public spaces foster social interactions, reducing feelings of isolation. 3. Noise Reduction: Lower noise pollution levels in urban areas contribute to better mental health. This study highlights the crucial role urban design plays in shaping our mental well-being. As we continue to develop our cities, prioritizing mental health-friendly designs can lead to healthier, happier communities. Access the full report at: https://lnkd.in/gCYm2Uag

And another! Be sure to also check out: "Barriers to Integration of Health and Equity into Urban Design Policies in Regina, Saskatchewan" below 👇🏼

🎉 🌍We're thrilled to celebrate the incredible work of our researchers, such as this latest study that has just been published in Cities & Health! 📚 The paper, "A multi-criteria evaluation framework for assessing green space interventions through a healthy urban planning approach", presents the innovative HCI Greenspace Evaluation Framework. This comprehensive tool, inspired by the World Health Organization’s Healthy Cities Initiative, outlines 11 essential criteria for evaluating and enhancing urban green spaces. 👏 Huge congratulations to Carolina Mayen Huerta, Wenjing(Wendee) Zhang, PhD, Tom Clemens, and Alexander Nurse for this impactful contribution #PublicHealth. 🌿 Let’s continue working towards healthier, greener, and more equitable cities for all! 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/esXRi6iK #GroundsWell #GreenSpaces #HealthyCities #Sustainability #Research

📍 This week, we are contributing to the Urban Design for Healthy Cities Master's program at UIC, as part of the seminar "Community Diagnosis and Socio-Spatial Analysis." 💡 Today’s session prompted an important reflection: while we often study conventional aspects of public spaces—such as mobility patterns or usage—we challenged students to think more deeply about what they truly want to understand about these spaces. What hidden dynamics shape the lived experiences of communities, and how can we uncover these insights to foster healthier, more inclusive urban environments? This kind of reflection is key in moving beyond surface-level observations, encouraging a more holistic approach to urban design. #UrbanDesign #HealthyCities #SocioSpatialAnalysis #CommunityEngagement #PublicSpace #UrbanTransformation

Who remembers the pandemic & the radical opportunity it presented (though in a crisis context) for insights on issues of urban health that plagued our cities since before the pandemic; for insights on diverse issues of equity that were further exacerbated during the lockdown; for insight on issues of mobility, public space, mental health and social connectivity? The pandemic was not so long ago yet sometimes it feels like the experience is fading into a dusty forgotten book of collective memory. That said, there was some very interesting material produced during that time such as this collection of papers at Taylor and Francis. It must have also been a unique and interesting opportunity for the contributors and editors to utilize chapters of the lockdown to produce these observations and insights and contribute to knowledge generation on urbanism, health and urban governance. “The COVID-19 lockdown papers: insights, reflections and implications for urbanism and city planning.” at Cities & Health, Taylor & Francis Group https://lnkd.in/dfuNeiRW #urbanhealth #urbanism #COVID19 #lockdown

🌒☕️Monday reading included this paper ‘Healthy cities- walkability as a component of health-promoting urban planning and design’ by Minh-Chau Tran ⚕️🏙️The paper is a valuable read on the health-promoting effects of walkability and the close relationship between the built environment and public health and relevant literature. 💡I also greatly appreciate the author’s emphasis on a ‘cooperative approach’ between disciplines for the creation of healthier cities and neighbourhoods. 📑📚Speaking of literature, I will easily confess that one of my challenges in my development as a researcher is simply the unending stack of books and papers I want / need to read. Curious how fellow scholars and practitioners manage & curate their reading stacks. I think it’s also great to hear from university level students about their reading habits for coursework. Find the paper referenced above here: https://lnkd.in/dX9Ski_E #walkability #urbandesign #publichealth #urbanplanning

🌍📢 Exciting News! The fifth issue of Nature Cities is now available! 🏙️📖 Understanding urban environments is crucial as Earth becomes more urbanized. Nature Cities delves into the complexities of cities, exploring their histories, geographies, and socio-environmental processes. 🔍 In this journal, you'll find: - Cutting-edge research using qualitative and quantitative methods. - Synthetic reviews, timely news, and opinions. - A focus on traditionally marginalized geographies, especially from the Global South. Our goal is to bridge divides among disciplines, regions, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the public. We cover adaptation, architecture, community science, governance, health, urban planning, and more. 🔗 Read the latest issue of Nature Cities: https://lnkd.in/dxRhA93K Dive into the knowledge shaping the future of urban environments. Join us in exploring the past, present, and future of cities. Your insights and engagement are invaluable as we navigate urban complexities together. #UrbanStudies #Research #NatureCities #Sustainability #UrbanPlanning #GlobalSouth #DiversityInResearch #CityLife #UrbanFuture #AcademicResearch

🌿 The Mental Health Benefits of Nature in Urban Areas 🌿 A recent study by Bangor University and Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, published in People and Nature, reveals fascinating insights into how urban greenery impacts mental health. 🌳 Involving 117 city-dwellers, the study used eye-tracking technology during a 45-minute urban walk to examine how focusing on nature versus man-made structures affects anxiety and restorative feelings. The results were compelling: participants who directed their gaze more frequently at green elements, especially trees, experienced notable reductions in anxiety and increased feelings of restorativeness. Dr. Whitney Fleming noted that trees had the most significant positive impact, underscoring the mental health benefits of engaging with nature. 🌲 For urban planners and architects, these findings emphasize the importance of integrating natural features into city landscapes. Simple changes, like incorporating more green spaces, can significantly enhance residents' well-being and foster healthier urban environments. 🌍💚 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/g9kp4SGk Looking for more motivational reads? Stay tuned with The Uplifting Times by hitting follow via this link: https://lnkd.in/gSPk7GEP #UrbanDesign #MentalHealth #Nature #WellBeing #GreenSpaces #UrbanPlanning #Innovation #Resilience #EnvironmentalDesign

When we tell a city's story of change, there is often a lot of emphasis on the actions of the mayor and city government. But that isn't the full story. In developing our plan to study urban change, we examined the literature about how cities change and how to study the narratives and perspectives of wider actors, outside of city hall. We wrote up our process of collaborative study design, now published on Wellcome Open. This paper would be useful for people who are planning, doing or funding research about urban change, storytelling, health, equity and sustainability. Particularly for research that is multi-country, transdisciplinary and aiming to be decolonial. #ChangeStories https://lnkd.in/dxJT467Z Co-authored by: María José Álvarez Rivadulla, Elis Borde, Waleska Caiaffa, Vafa Dianati, Geraint Ellis, Friederike Fleischer, Adriana Hurtado Tarazona, Olga L Sarmiento, Agustina Martire, Sergio Montero, Gemma Moore, Rebecca Morley, Aarathi Prasad

@Gensler’s latest City Pulse report reveals a resilient urban spirit, with 73% of movers eyeing city life. This research underscores the enduring allure of urban density and the evolving needs of city dwellers. It’s a call to innovate and create spaces that are not only beautiful and functional but also inclusive and vibrant. Let’s shape the future of our cities together!