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Mental Well-Being and the Influence of Place: Conceptual Approaches for the Built Environment for Planning Healthy and Walkable Cities

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  • Antonio Zumelzu

    (Instituto de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Núcleo de Investigación en Riesgos Naturales y Antropogénicos, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5091000, Chile)

  • Marie Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke

    (Departamento de Urbanismo, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8331051, Chile)

Abstract

Promotion of healthy cities has prompted urban planners and designers to build new conceptual frameworks to improve the design of public spaces, in which mental well-being emerges as a fundamental concept. Mental well-being is related to spatial design, with increasing attention being paid to the built environment as an important predictor of mental well-being. The objective of this article is to advance and contribute new knowledge about the characteristics of the built environment and its potential benefits for mental well-being. A meta-analysis is carried out on various empirical and theoretical approaches from the literature. Using a WOS database as a case study, a methodology based on a bibliometric analysis is proposed to examine which elements of the built environment impact mental well-being in research between 1975 and 2020, using the HistCites and VOSviewer tools. The results show that there are six thematic axes related to the built environment that would favor greater mental well-being in public spaces: walkability, density, spatial design, environmental noise, green areas and social interaction. The six thematic axes are critically analyzed and integrated into a conceptual framework to address the impacts of the built environment on mental well-being in the planning of cities. It concludes with a discussion on the implications of these concepts for urban public policy and the promotion of healthier and more sustainable and walkable environments in Latin American cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Zumelzu & Marie Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke, 2021. "Mental Well-Being and the Influence of Place: Conceptual Approaches for the Built Environment for Planning Healthy and Walkable Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6395-:d:568780
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    Cited by:

    1. Deborah Salvo & Eugen Resendiz & Ana Stefancic & Leopoldo J. Cabassa, 2023. "Examining Place-Based Neighborhood Factors in a Multisite Peer-Led Healthy Lifestyle Effectiveness Trial for People with Serious Mental Illness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Jinyao Lin & Yaye Zhuang & Yang Zhao & Hua Li & Xiaoyu He & Siyan Lu, 2022. "Measuring the Non-Linear Relationship between Three-Dimensional Built Environment and Urban Vitality Based on a Random Forest Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Francisco Núñez & Elías Albornoz & Mariella Gutiérrez & Antonio Zumelzu, 2022. "Socially Sustainable Accessibility to Goods and Services in the Metropolitan Area of Concepción, Chile, Post-COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-22, October.
    4. Marwan Elmubarak & Naeema AlHosani & Mohamed Yagoub & Amar Khamis, 2023. "The Effects of Objective and Perceived Neighborhood Amenities on Youths’ Wellbeing: The Case of the City of Al Ain, UAE," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Antonio Zumelzu & Mariana Estrada & Marta Moya & Jairo Troppa, 2022. "Experiencing Public Spaces in Southern Chile: Analysing the Effects of the Built Environment on Walking Perceptions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, October.
    6. Catherine Sundling & Marianne Jakobsson, 2023. "How Do Urban Walking Environments Impact Pedestrians’ Experience and Psychological Health? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-32, July.

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