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The restorative power of urban waterfronts and tactical urbanism

The restorative power of urban waterfronts and tactical urbanism

Undertaken by a team at the University of Virginia in conjunction with Happy City and Street Plans Collaborative, this study is one of the few covering the emerging field of “blue health.”

Neural signatures associated with experiencing different urban environments

Neural signatures associated with experiencing different urban environments

We previously wrote about studying emotive responses in older people through research conducted in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Special restorative design considerations for the elderly

Special restorative design considerations for the elderly

Attending to the health and wellbeing of our older people is not only an ethical concern, but a practical one as well.

Poverty, Ethnicity, and Mental Health in Children

Poverty, Ethnicity, and Mental Health in Children

Health equity is one of those “wicked problems.” We want to solve it, but it’s bound up tightly with other problems: namely, poverty and ethnicity.

Walking in nature and the city – a study on emotive responses in the elderly

Walking in nature and the city – a study on emotive responses in the elderly

Restorative environments don’t demand a lot of mental effort but do capture our sense of curiosity and interest in an effortless way.

Youth friendly and healthy cities?

Youth friendly and healthy cities?

Did you know that 30% of 16-24 year-olds report that they never visit a local park?

Building on the Francis effect

Building on the Francis effect

This autumn I become my own study in human adaptation, as I moved across the Atlantic to America to become the Professor in Design and Health at the Architecture School, University of Virginia.

Navigating the world with sight loss

Navigating the world with sight loss

It has been suggested the human eye is the most important sensory organ in our body, with 80% of all the impressions on our senses coming from the eye.

Meetings – of hope – at Maggie’s

Meetings – of hope – at Maggie’s

The diagnosis of a potentially life threatening illness is catastrophic news for the individual and their family and friends.

Hopeful green stuff

Hopeful green stuff

A child said, What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child?

A room with a view?

A room with a view?

The research implications, for the design of our neighbourhood communities, and the workplace, is huge.

The worrying taste of inner city stress

The worrying taste of inner city stress

I’ve been fortunate most of my life to have access to a garden or a nearby park … time to simply sit, contemplate and de-stress.