How Thriving Cities Define Our Health, Happiness, and Future
Giselle Sebag

Key Takeaways

⇢ The stark differences in life expectancy and health outcomes across
neighborhoods result from systemic urban planning decisions.
⇢ Everyone—policymakers, planners, architects, and residents—has a role in
ensuring that cities are designed for health and well-being.
⇢ The key question to ask before any project is: ‘Who benefits, and who is hurting?’

Summary

1. 1. The Health Impact of Urban Planning
      ○ Cities designed around automobiles rather than people contribute to
      pollution, stress, sedentary lifestyles, and unsafe environments.
      ○ Inequities in city design contribute to significant disparities in life
      expectancy and overall well-being.
      ○ Well-designed spaces with seating, greenery, and mixed uses foster social
      cohesion and mental well-being.

Key design elements include:
– Ample seating options
– Water features
– Green spaces
– Play areas
– Small-scale commerce

1.  
2. 2. Rethinking land use planning
   1. ○ Mixed-income housing is necessary for walkable, inclusive communities.

      ○ Thoughtful density, rather than suburban sprawl, allows for more efficient,
      healthier, and more socially vibrant cities.
      ○ Concepts such as the 15-minute city should not only serve high-income
      residents but also ensure that service workers, educators, and low-income
      residents can also live nearby.

How can Cities apply these learnings / findings?

a. Prioritize health-focused urban policies that integrate housing, transport, and public
space design.
b. Shift away from car-dominated infrastructure toward active transportation:

○ Expand protected bike lanes and pedestrianized streets.
○ Reduce car parking to encourage alternative transit.
○ Improve public transit frequency and affordability.

c. Design streets and parks that promote social interaction and physical activity.
d. Implement inclusionary zoning to require affordable housing in new developments.

Interesting resources

a. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces – Book by William H. Whyte
b. Life Between Buildings – Book by Jan Gehl
c. Case studies: Bryant Park (New York), Barcelona’s Superblocks, Amsterdam’s
Cycling Infrastructure

Ideas for further reading / research

a. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces – Book by William H. Whyte
b. Life Between Buildings – Book by Jan Gehl
c. Case studies: Bryant Park (New York), Barcelona’s Superblocks, Amsterdam’s
Cycling Infrastructure