IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i22p6425-d287291.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Designing Urban Green Blue Infrastructure for Mental Health and Elderly Wellbeing

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Beatrice Andreucci

    (“Sapienza” University of Rome, Via Flaminia 72, 00196 Rome, Italy)

  • Alessio Russo

    (School of Arts, University of Gloucestershire, Francis Close Hall Campus, GL50 4AZ Cheltenham, UK)

  • Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo

    (NeuroLandscape Foundation, Suwalska 8/78, 03252 Warsaw, Poland
    Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore)

Abstract

The main objective of this essay is to illustrate the state-of-the-art on ‘mental health-sensitive’ open space design in the built environment. Urban Green Blue Infrastructure can contribute to urbanites’ mental health and wellbeing as well as healthy aging, while providing co-benefits balancing the negative impacts of climate change, through the provision of integrated ecosystem services. There are a number of ways that exposure to and affiliation with Nature have shown to support mental health, but we are still missing the necessary evidence of the actual benefits achieved, as well as the key performance indicators and metrics to monitor and adapt our open space to the growing urban challenges. After introducing the key concepts of degenerative mental disorders as they are growing in the urban environment, and the emerging green blue infrastructure design approach, the authors present international case studies describing how evidence-based design and Nature-based Solutions have been found to be beneficial, especially to those diagnosed with mental disorders. Subsequently, in a comparative critical analysis, the authors look closer at a number of design solutions capable, at different scales, to support healthy aging through exposure to, and affiliation with, biodiversity.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Beatrice Andreucci & Alessio Russo & Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo, 2019. "Designing Urban Green Blue Infrastructure for Mental Health and Elderly Wellbeing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-14, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6425-:d:287291
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/22/6425/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/22/6425/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ina Säumel & Suhana E. Reddy & Thomas Wachtel, 2019. "Edible City Solutions—One Step Further to Foster Social Resilience through Enhanced Socio-Cultural Ecosystem Services in Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, February.
    2. Timothy Beatley & Peter Newman, 2013. "Biophilic Cities Are Sustainable, Resilient Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(8), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Sjerp de Vries & Robert A Verheij & Peter P Groenewegen & Peter Spreeuwenberg, 2003. "Natural Environments—Healthy Environments? An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship between Greenspace and Health," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 35(10), pages 1717-1731, October.
    4. Camps-Calvet, Marta & Langemeyer, Johannes & Calvet-Mir, Laura & Gómez-Baggethun, Erik, 2016. "Ecosystem services provided by urban gardens in Barcelona, Spain: Insights for policy and planning," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 14-23.
    5. Agnieszka A Olszewska & Paulo F Marques & Robert L Ryan & Fernando Barbosa, 2018. "What makes a landscape contemplative?," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 45(1), pages 7-25, January.
    6. Elie Dolgin, 2016. "How to defeat dementia," Nature, Nature, vol. 539(7628), pages 156-158, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rongrong Zhang & Song Liu & Ming Li & Xiong He & Chunshan Zhou, 2021. "The Effect of High-Density Built Environments on Elderly Individuals’ Physical Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in Guangzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-22, September.
    2. Susca, T. & Zanghirella, F. & Colasuonno, L. & Del Fatto, V., 2022. "Effect of green wall installation on urban heat island and building energy use: A climate-informed systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    3. Melanie Davern & Rachel Winterton & Kathleen Brasher & Geoff Woolcock, 2020. "How Can the Lived Environment Support Healthy Ageing? A Spatial Indicators Framework for the Assessment of Age-Friendly Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-20, October.
    4. Diana Dushkova & Maria Ignatieva & Michael Hughes & Anastasia Konstantinova & Viacheslav Vasenev & Elvira Dovletyarova, 2021. "Human Dimensions of Urban Blue and Green Infrastructure during a Pandemic. Case Study of Moscow (Russia) and Perth (Australia)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-24, April.
    5. Leo Capari & Harald Wilfing & Andreas Exner & Thomas Höflehner & Daniela Haluza, 2022. "Cooling the City? A Scientometric Study on Urban Green and Blue Infrastructure and Climate Change-Induced Public Health Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.
    6. Shereen Khatoon-Jaan Din & Alessio Russo & Jamie Liversedge, 2023. "Designing Healing Environments: A Literature Review on the Benefits of Healing Gardens for Children in Healthcare Facilities and the Urgent Need for Policy Implementation," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-20, April.
    7. Juntti, Meri & Ozsezer-Kurnuc, Sevda, 2023. "Factors influencing the realisation of the social impact of urban nature in inner-city environments: A systematic review of complex evidence," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    8. Marta Chàfer & Anna Laura Pisello & Cristina Piselli & Luisa F. Cabeza, 2020. "Greenery System for Cooling Down Outdoor Spaces: Results of an Experimental Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-12, July.
    9. Monica Bolognesi & Enrico Toffalini & Francesca Pazzaglia, 2023. "Perceived Psychological Restorativeness in Relation to Individual and Environmental Variables: A Study Conducted at Poetto Beach in Sardinia, Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, February.
    10. Narges Banaeian & Morteza Zangeneh & Sean Clark, 2020. "Trends and Future Directions in Crop Energy Analyses: A Focus on Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-23, November.
    11. Giuseppe T. Cirella & Alessio Russo, 2019. "Special Issue Sustainable Interdisciplinarity: Human–Nature Relations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-5, December.
    12. Hongjie Xie & Qiankun Wang & Xilin Zhou & Yiping Yang & Yuwei Mao & Xu Zhang, 2021. "Built Environment Factors Influencing Prevalence of Hypertension at Community Level in China: The Case of Wuhan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-18, May.
    13. Alexandra Jane Crossley & Alessio Russo, 2022. "Has the Pandemic Altered Public Perception of How Local Green Spaces Affect Quality of Life in the United Kingdom?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-14, June.
    14. Alessio Russo & Giuseppe T. Cirella, 2021. "Urban Ecosystem Services: New Findings for Landscape Architects, Urban Planners, and Policymakers," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-5, January.
    15. Yan Han & Yuehui Liang, 2023. "Scientific Knowledge Map Study of Therapeutic Landscapes and Community Open Spaces: Visual Analysis with CiteSpace," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-19, October.
    16. Miguel Madruga & Jorge Carlos-Vivas & María Mendoza-Muñoz & José Carmelo Adsuar & Lorenzo Mariano-Juárez & David Conde-Caballero, 2021. "Family Orchards and Health-Related Quality of Life in the Elderly. A Protocol for a Study in Las Hurdes (Spain) Based on an Ethnographic Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-14, January.
    17. Sophie Kathrin Schaffernicht & Andreas Türk & Martha Kogler & Andreas Berger & Bernhard Scharf & Lukas Clementschitsch & Renate Hammer & Peter Holzer & Herbert Formayer & Barbara König & Daniela Haluz, 2023. "Heat vs. Health: Home Office under a Changing Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-24, April.
    18. Jiabin Yu & Chen Yang & Xiaoguang Zhao & Zhexiao Zhou & Shen Zhang & Diankai Zhai & Jianshe Li, 2021. "The Associations of Built Environment with Older People Recreational Walking and Physical Activity in a Chinese Small-Scale City of Yiwu," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, March.
    19. Natalia Fumagalli & Elisabetta Fermani & Giulio Senes & Marco Boffi & Linda Pola & Paolo Inghilleri, 2020. "Sustainable Co-Design with Older People: The Case of a Public Restorative Garden in Milan (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Johanne Heesche & Ellen Marie Braae & Gertrud Jørgensen, 2022. "Landscape-Based Transformation of Young Industrial Landscapes," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-23, June.
    2. Kaowen Grace Chang & William C. Sullivan & Ying-Hsuan Lin & Weichia Su & Chun-Yen Chang, 2016. "The Effect of Biodiversity on Green Space Users’ Wellbeing—An Empirical Investigation Using Physiological Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Matthew Dennis & David Barlow & Gina Cavan & Penny A. Cook & Anna Gilchrist & John Handley & Philip James & Jessica Thompson & Konstantinos Tzoulas & C. Philip Wheater & Sarah Lindley, 2018. "Mapping Urban Green Infrastructure: A Novel Landscape-Based Approach to Incorporating Land Use and Land Cover in the Mapping of Human-Dominated Systems," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-25, January.
    4. Alexandros Gkatsikos & Konstadinos Mattas, 2021. "The Paradox of the Virtual Water Trade Balance in the Mediterranean Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, March.
    5. Nancy Andrea Ramírez-Agudelo & Roger Porcar Anento & Miriam Villares & Elisabet Roca, 2020. "Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management in Peri-Urban Areas: Barriers and Lessons Learned from Implementation Experiences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-36, November.
    6. Alessio Russo & Giuseppe T. Cirella, 2019. "Edible urbanism 5.0," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Nikodinoska, Natasha & Paletto, Alessandro & Pastorella, Fabio & Granvik, Madeleine & Franzese, Pier Paolo, 2018. "Assessing, valuing and mapping ecosystem services at city level: The case of Uppsala (Sweden)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 368(C), pages 411-424.
    8. Bertram, Christine & Rehdanz, Katrin, 2015. "The role of urban green space for human well-being," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 139-152.
    9. Somajita Paul & Harini Nagendra, 2017. "Factors Influencing Perceptions and Use of Urban Nature: Surveys of Park Visitors in Delhi," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-23, April.
    10. Carter, Virginia & Derudder, Ben & Henríquez, Cristián, 2021. "Assessing local governments’ perception of the potential implementation of biophilic urbanism in Chile: A latent class approach," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    11. Dennis, Matthew & James, Philip, 2017. "Ecosystem services of collectively managed urban gardens: Exploring factors affecting synergies and trade-offs at the site level," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 26(PA), pages 17-26.
    12. Evan Elderbrock & Chris Enright & Kathryn A. Lynch & Alexandra R. Rempel, 2020. "A Guide to Public Green Space Planning for Urban Ecosystem Services," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-23, October.
    13. Berglihn, Elisabeth Cornelia & Gómez-Baggethun, Erik, 2021. "Ecosystem services from urban forests: The case of Oslomarka, Norway," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    14. Thomas Panagopoulos & Stilianos Tampakis & Paraskevi Karanikola & Aikaterini Karipidou-Kanari & Apostolos Kantartzis, 2018. "The Usage and Perception of Pedestrian and Cycling Streets on Residents’ Well-being in Kalamaria, Greece," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-17, August.
    15. Ming Lu & Zhuolin Tan & Chao Yuan & Yu Dong & Wei Dong, 2023. "Resilience Measurements and Dynamics of Resource-Based Cities in Heilongjiang Province, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-22, January.
    16. Philip Stessens & Frank Canters & Marijke Huysmans & Ahmed Z. Khan, 2020. "Urban green space qualities: An integrated approach towards GIS-based assessment reflecting user perception," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/298795, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    17. Exner, Andreas & Weinzierl, Carla & Cepoiu, Livia & Arzberger, Stephanie & Spash, Clive L., 2021. "Smart and Edible: How Edible Cities Create Smart Public Spaces," SRE-Discussion Papers 09/2021, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    18. Z. Goosen & E. J. Cilliers, 2020. "Enhancing Social Sustainability Through the Planning of Third Places: A Theory-Based Framework," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 835-866, August.
    19. Marianna Olivadese & Maria Luisa Dindo, 2022. "Historic and Contemporary Gardens: A Humanistic Approach to Evaluate Their Role in Enhancing Cultural, Natural and Social Heritage," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-7, December.
    20. Luca Battisti & Lauranne Pille & Thomas Wachtel & Federica Larcher & Ina Säumel, 2019. "Residential Greenery: State of the Art and Health-Related Ecosystem Services and Disservices in the City of Berlin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6425-:d:287291. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.