Musings on neurourbanism, public space and urban health

Abstract

The recent pandemic outbreak warned of the urgent need for closer interaction between health and spatial planning. Although the relationship between urban space and health has been widely proven and led to the emergence and or reinforcement of new concepts and new interdisciplinary areas such as neurourbanism, neuroarchitecture, environmental psychology, psychogeography, and liveability, that try to cope with the new urban issues and epidemics, as urban stress and mental illness, covid-19, social isolation, health iniquities and public health. However, there has not been much discussion nor has a theoretical and methodological framework been addressed. The embryonic state of such cross-disciplinary fields of knowledge requires more thinking contributions towards its consolidation and guidelines for professionals and policymakers. This paper’s main goal is to contribute to the discussion, by musings around the triangulation of public spaces, urban health and urban health determinants. Starting with a large collection of scientific literature, mainly published between 2019 and 2022, focusing on the discussion of public space, urban health and determinants of (urban) health, critically an analysis was conducted to understand how they interrelate. More precisely, the main objectives are: 1) to underline the importance of public space in its social, place-making and quality of life promotor; 2) to highlight and strengthen awareness that the urban environment affects people's mental health and well-being; 3) to propose a set of determinants of urban health to work as a tool for professionals for a more objective evaluation and monitoring of health in cities and; 4) to strengthen the work that has been done on the importance of neurourbanism as an interdisciplinary science that brings together neuroscience and urban planning to foster healthier cities and communities, and overall people's general well-being.

Despite the empirical association between health, both physical and mental, and the surrounding environment where people spend their time, and despite the necessity and opportunity shown by the recent covid-19 pandemic, few evidence-based research and policies, and recommendations, towards healthier cities and communities were produced, especially regarding mental health/illness.