Reasons To Be Cheerful
urban scrawl
Issue 3
www.urbed.coop
Exploring Happiness Exploring Happiness
Editorial The world financial system, the economy, the coalition government, the budget (or lack of it), the public sector cutbacks, the architects and planners at the job centre, the developers in administration, the projects shelved, the masterplans left gathering dust, the sites left unfinished and the World Cup... Its has been rough recently. Is there anything more than years of penny pinching and wound licking to look forward to? Well yes we think there is This Urban Scrawl is dedicated to the threads of hope still out there in this fractured, turbulent and fragile world of the built environment. It may seem strange to talk about happiness at the moment, but many people are. Researchers, developers, social thinkers and politicians are all wondering why we didn’t get happier in the years of plenty. Indeed research shows that levels of happiness were lower in the boom years than they were in the years of austerity after the war. So maybe we should be planning for happiness rather than prosperity? If so, what does this mean in practice and how can the built environment be designed to promote wellbeing. In the spirit of enquiry Urban Scrawl set out to ask. 2 – ISSUE 03 2 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness Exploring Happiness
Contents 1
4-7
8-15
Editorial
Rebuilding the market: – rethinking housing after the recession
Exploring Happiness Nick Dodd describes the work
Sarah Jarvis interviews practitioners and
happiness and wellbeing standard
commentators to discuss who are we
for the developer igloo.
he has been doing on a health
currently bulding new housing for and how might this change in the future.
16-19
20-21
22-23
Manifesto Upgrade: from Comfort to Happy, Flourishing Super Monkeys
Happiness Strategies at One Brighton
Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood - Communities are good for you
Pete Halsall of , BioRegional
David Rudlin asks should we be paying
Jamie Anderson trys to find out why we
Quintain talks about their
more attention to the communities
can’t get happy in our moern cities?
‘One Brighton’ Scheme’
we are helping to create?
24-25 The Built Environment and Wellbeing Elizabeth Burton on WISE (Wellbeing in Sustainable Environments)
Credits Editoral Team:
URBED (urbanism environment design) Ltd
Sarah Jarvis, Andy Kelham, John Sampson
Fifth Floor, 10 Little Lever Street
Photographs:
Manchester, M1 1HR
Charlie Baker: Front Image, p.5,Back Image
t. 0161 200 5500
David Rudlin: p.4 Pete Halsall: p.21
email: scrawl@urbed.coop web: www.urbed.coop
Illustrations: John Sampson: p.10-15
3 – ISSUE 03 3 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Rebuilding the market – rethinking housing after the recession As the runaway housing market catches its breath in recession, Sarah Jarvis has interviewed practitioners and commentators from the across the sector if we are really making the most of an opportunity to redefine new housing and re-engineer a product that may be what people say they want, but which has not always promoted happiness and well-being. Is it time to ask ourselves who are we building for and how might that change in a future uncertain? Until about October 2007 it seemed
Hemingway contrasts thought given
the past. He finds a particular mindset
that property sold itself. It wasn’t just
to selling second hand homes: “Think
in the house building market not to
property, of course. We were buying cars
of all the television programmes that
spend money with research agencies,
and CDs, TVs and trainers, as well.
are devoted to telling us what people
whether they are volume housebuilders
want, what colour to paint your house,
preferring to do their own in-house work
The recession changed all that, and now
which kitchen to fit. At Red or Dead
or niche market-makers relying on their
companies across the board are looking
we had researched our customers to
own understanding of the market.
for new opportunities to rebuild their
the nth degree – and we were doing
markets. Designer Wayne Hemingway
that for a bloody blouse. But ask
Dan Bridgett, Head of Public Affairs
points out that one strategy invaluable to
MORI how many house builders
at Barratt Developments counters
all successful manufacturers is to find out
have been to them to commission
that Barratt carries out “exhaustive
as much as they can about their customers.
research on what people want.”
research”. Customer satisfaction is
“That’s why everything including cereal
extremely high and, Bridgett asserts,
packets has surveys asking people
So we did. Bobby Duffy, Managing
that does not happen by accident.
about themselves and their tastes.”
Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos
MORI has certainly not seen a change
But who has been buying new build?
But that doesn’t apply, apparently, to
in behaviour. “I think it must be one of
Hemingway quotes research by Savills at
house building. “Of all the industries
the most under-researched industries
the turn of the Millennium, which showed
we have worked in, housing is the
relative to its value – they must spend
that only between 20 and 28% of house
weakest in terms of understanding what
a minuscule fraction of a percent on
buyers would consider buying a new house
its customers want.” This is because,
research, in contrast to most mature
from a house builder. “If only 20% wanted
he concludes, until now housebuilders
markets.” But Duffy says that he cannot
to buy this product how does it still exist?
“never really had to take much notice.”
really see the recession changing that,
Imagine if the same were true for M&S or
as experience shows that it has not in
the BBC – they would soon cease to exist – so how did housebuilders survive?”
4 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Sprawling Housing development in Hul
Yolande Barnes, Director of Residential
the only real areas of oversupply now are
toys. “By contrast in Hammarby Sjöstad,
Research at property agents Savills
in Docklands in London, and city centres
Sweden, although it wasn’t anticipated that
confirms that buyers of new build houses
like Leeds and Manchester – all the places
families would go there, the good internal
are still not typical. “When housebuilders
where big regeneration projects have been
space standards and outside space have
do research, what they do is they ask
focused. “We have been so unimaginative
attracted families; the general design and
their customers. But they forget that
about doing these things. We think
good neighbourhood that was created,
their customers are a weird lot in terms
that building buy-to-let flat factories
with cars underground, etc, was very
of the whole market, certainly in the
actually constitutes regeneration.”
usable, very practical. I can’t think of many
past they’ve been a very rarefied group
schemes in London that replicate that.”
indeed, because they’re the people
Where families have a choice, flats largely
who buy new build. They keep asking
remain unpopular and Barnes is aware that
She notes, however, that there is a cultural
the lunatics about the asylum.”
much modern development has also been
difference between the Scandinavians and
particularly child unfriendly, from the signs
the British. “A lot of people forget that
One problem, she believes, has been the
saying no ball games to the creation of vast
your average, middle class Scandinavian
narrowness of the product range on offer.
tracts of grass that nobody’s allowed to
family will have a wooden hut in the woods
“Traditionally the mass house builder has
actually sit on. “We’ve generally speaking
or the beach, and that is important.”
not catered to a broad range of occupiers,
built single buildings west of the City of
She emphasises, also, that Hammarby is
they have gone on targeting the same
London because that’s all the land that’s
still a relatively new place, and believes
people. Ten years ago it was all ‘executive
been available, so unless there’s already
that we should not forget the success of
family homes’; then they said they would
a park and all the amenities there, we
established neighbourhoods in Britain
broaden their market base, but they just
haven’t been building neighbourhoods
such as Northcote Road in Wandsworth,
added another type of homogenous buyer
suitable for children.” She mentions an
South London. “You can learn much
– the buy-to-let investor. So they built
expensive high-rise riverside apartment
more from studying that neighbourhood
buy-to-let flats or executive homes and
scheme in London where the glassed-
about how to make a good place than you
nothing in-between.” Barnes thinks that
in ‘winter gardens’ are crammed with
can even from Hammarby, because it’s evolved – it provides what people want.”
5 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm
David Birkbeck, Chief Executive of not-
a lack of choice, he believes that there
Birkbeck advocates that we get used
for-profit company Design for Homes
is now a pressing need for new products
to thinking of our ‘property lives’ as
(where Barnes is also a director), is more
in the marketplace which can help
having two halves – up to the age of 50
concerned with the other end of the
make the decision to downsize easier.
and then from 50 onwards. This way we will make provision for the needs of
purchaser’s lifecycle and thinks that one of the main challenges for housing in future
Like Barnes, Birkbeck is also looking to
our old age earlier and as part of the
will be unlocking the huge proportion
Europe for examples that we can learn
wider community. While there are some
of the country’s property value currently
from and has recently visited several. He
schemes being developed in Britain they
“tied up in the hands of pensioners”.
believes that crucially older age should
often tend to be gated developments with
not mean isolation. “Switzerland is a good
campus-like facilities for people who can
Having so many of the country’s three-
model here, and there are also schemes in
retire early. The Pad 55 development in
or four-bed homes occupied by single
Denmark and Sweden, such as Neptuna in
Pickering, East Yorkshire, showed the
pensioners has created an imbalance in
Malmö’s Western Harbour District which
importance of removing the covenant
the housing stock and while Birkbeck
is a Lifetime Neighbourhood. There needs
restricting the age of those living there,
acknowledges that the reluctance of
to be a greater range of people living
so that it becomes easier to sell the
people to move home later in life can
together – pensioners near kindergartens
properties later on in the second hand
be for social reasons as well as through
works very well, it keeps people active.”
market. In general, though, the product
6 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
in the UK is still far too inflexible. “We
European companies to bring different
Walden estate that owns London’s
need to think like train companies offering
house building models to the UK market,
‘Marylebone Village’, she would like to
‘off-peak tickets’ – our housing stock is not
products that perhaps better suit our
see new tax incentives to encourage a
flexible like that. There needs to be more
needs, desires and aspirations, products
longer-term interest. “When investors
money for researching those products.”
that intuitively engage with the promotion
have a long-term ownership in the area
of a healthier, happier lifestyle. Companies
they are going to want to get a better mix
One practice that is exploring a more
registering interest with the HCA’s Public
– and not just flog it as quickly as possible
flexible product is Croydon-based
Land Initiative have included Bouygues
to the nearest high bidder.” She believes
Geraghty Taylor Architects, who are in
and Skanska, with its ‘Modernahus’
that such investment could attract the
pre-application discussions to develop
model, which uses substantial off-site
sort of investing institutions who would
their ‘Living Home’ scheme on a local
manufacture. Birkbeck believes that one
otherwise buy very long-dated bonds. But
back land site. A 3-storey house on a
advantage they may have is that “they are
at the moment she believes that “no one
relatively small footprint can be turned
more aware of what they’re building”.
in the property industry really speaks the
from a single family dwelling into three
language of the investment and finance
flats or a flat and maisonette. The scheme
As well as new products, Barnes believes
industry. We have got to learn to turn
has been driven by an awareness of fuel
that housing needs a fundamental
these design propositions that we know
poverty issues and the generally poor
change in the underlying model of
are good for communities and good for
performance of older housing stock, but
development. “The problem in the past
places, into financial propositions.”
also addresses the cultural and social
was that it was all about what yields most
factors that can inhibit older people
in the short term, not the long term.
Finally, Hemingway believes that just
from moving house later in life.e.
The individual house builder was often
as the building industry must change, so
working directly against the interests
too has the buyer. “When house builders
Brian Alborough at Geraghty Taylor
of the long term landowners, but when
could sell all they built they didn’t have
thinks that the post-recession landscape
the long-term landowners were a whole
to care about their customers. Nowadays
will definitely be changing for house
range of disparate people who will buy
people are more discerning. They are
builders as both local authorities and
in a frenzy, it doesn’t actually matter.”
not rushing to buy houses anymore as
customers become more discerning. From
the mortgages are not there and the idea
his experience with other authorities,
To replace the mono-cultural
that prices are only going upwards so you
he believes that “Croydon is ahead of
developments that have proven
can’t fail to make money has gone.”
the game”. From April 2010 the south
so unsuccessful – both in terms of
London borough – where former CABE
placemaking and with the market – she
With hindsight, the recession might
and Housing Corporation Chief Executive
believes that a better mix will be achieved
have been the spur developers and
Jon Rouse is now in charge – will be
by encouraging longer-term investment.
policymakers needed to rethink
requiring a Sustainable Homes Code
“Recession has forced change because
housing, to create a better climate
Level 4 on all new housing. Croydon is
the market has fallen away, but so far
of building for the betterment of the
also still building new council housing
what it’s resulted in is nothing happening,
individual purchaser and collective
of its own, with a development of larger
rather than something else happening.
community. As Hemingway remarks,
family homes planned at Code Level 5.
What hasn’t changed is that we haven’t
“the difficulty to get a mortgage might
yet got the mechanisms for long-term
eventually prove to be a good thing.”
And while the commercial house-building
developers to come on board.”
market may still be crippled, Birkbeck says that it won’t be in five years’ time.
Citing the model of successful commercial
This will be an opportunity for other
property owners, like the Howard de
7 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Exploring Happiness URBED have been working with specialist property investor and developer igloo regeneration to develop and monitor socially-responsible principles for property investment, now known as their Footprint Policy. The initial principles covered regeneration, sustainability and design. To these have been added a fourth category covering well-being and happiness. URBED’s Nick Dodd describes these new principles and the standards that have been set.
The Pursuit of happiness Specialist
property
The city as a place of contradictions
investor
igloo
Cities
have
always
been
places
of
•
More sentient and decadent lifestyles
Regeneration commissioned URBED to
contradictions and are often portrayed
which have reduced how much physical
develop a new set of policies designed to
as unhealthy places characterised by
exercise we do and increased levels of
shape how their developments improve
pollution, crime and the worst of human
obesity,
people´s
and
nature. Places where people live closely
Wellbeing´. Here we set out our thinking
together but often know nothing about
of quality green space that limits the
behind the policies.
one anothers lives and where the values of
potential for exercise, relaxation and
community have been eroded.
social contact,
‘Health,
Happiness
•
Whilst the notion of a property developer seeking
to
improve
A degraded public realm and a lack
Social
exclusion
and
deprivation
health,
Trends in society, social engineering and
that has proved consistently difficult
happiness and wellbeing might seem a little
the poor quality of the urban environment
to tackle, leaving whole sections of
esoteric, in reality it is something that has
and buildings in many of the UK’s cities
society without hopes or aspirations
preoccupied architects, urban designers,
have conspired to re-inforce the unhealthy
for the future,
local
image of our cities. Examples include:
authorities
and
people’s
•
even
property
developers for centuries.
Status anxiety, stress and time pressure resulting
•
Badly
designed
buildings
without
In seeking to bring greater ‘health, happiness
sufficient
and wellbeing’ to urban neighbourhoods
ventilation,
igloo is following a rich tradition of not just
harmful materials and finishings,
investing in buildings, streets and spaces but
•
•
Air
natural
daylight
containing
pollution
from
and
potentially
vehicles
conditions
from
modern
working
and
consumer
society
which have contributed to a dramatic increase in mental health problems.
and
But cities are a place of contradictions.
in thinking about how they may influence
increasing congestion which directly
The ‘wit and mess’ of urban life has always
people´s quality of life now and for many
affects health, reduces life expectancy
attracted people, creating new possibilities
years to come.
and increases stress,
for free expression and for meeting people from different places and walks of life with
8 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
new perspectives. ‘Town air makes the
can see a future in which they may be happy.
man free’ wrote George Simmel observing
The implication is that before we can even
German cities in the 18th Century.
talk about happiness a focus is needed on what is needed to improve people´s basic
Cities have always stimulated new ideas
living conditions and their health and
and thinking, challenging human ingenuity
wellbeing – housing, employment, crime,
to respond to the needs of urban society.
environment.
For more information on igloo and to download the footprint sustainable inverstment policy visit: www.igloo.uk.net
people to define happiness on their own
Great cities are creative and dynamic places,
terms – by creating the space and time
where people and place come together to
The pursuit of happiness
to nurture social bonds and networks, in
create something really special.
Happiness is equally as precious as health
whatever form they might take, and to have
and wellbeing but is less easy to reliably
a family. Modern patterns of commuting
Can regeneration improve wellbeing?
orchestrate. In modern consumer society
have also upset people´s work/life balance.
There are large areas of urban Britain where
people often define or calibrate their
hope for the future is hard to find. In the
happiness against their peers, or what
For this to happen spaces are needed
post-war era the decline of manufacturing
clever marketing establishes as lifestyle
for where social contact can be made
has created whole areas where high
aspirations.
This has the created the
– in streets, public spaces, markets, third
employment is the norm. Slum clearance
modern Catch 22 of status anxiety in which
places (such as cafes and pubs) or even,
and social engineering in the 1960’s and
we demand greater choice but as a result
as suggested by recent projects such as
1970’s created immense upheaval and
can never be happy.
Increasing mental
the new suburb of Vikki in Helsinki, be
served to accelerate the erosion of the
health problems are a symptom of this,
augmented by the internet. Schools have
social fabric of these communities.
together with the increased pace of modern
been shown to be particularly important
life in which time is a commodity.
in fostering social contact across different
The modern drive to ‘regenerate’ carries
forms of tenure and ethnicity. Urban living
the risk of further polarising society. With
The need to live more sustainably has added
also offers a solution to restoring people´s
the gap widening between the haves – those
to the concerns of modern life. But this
work/life balance by promoting greater
with the wealth to sustain an increase
need not be a barrier to greater happiness,
proximity between home and work.
in values and buy into ‘urban living’ and
and in fact it may offer a way forward as
healthy lifestyles - and the have nots – the
people have begun to question modern
But happiness is not just about social
socially excluded living in poor quality
lifestyles and aspirations. Research by the
contact.
housing, without access to employment and
New Economics Foundation, amongst
of ´self actualisation´ is about having
basic amenities, exposed to crime, social
others, has highlighted that fact that
hopes and aspirations for the future and
breakdown, insecurity and a degraded local
“people are just as likely to lead satisfied
the opportunity for people to realise
environment.
lives whether their levels of consumption
their potential.
are very low or high”.
potential to establish new businesses in
To try and change things a careful approach
Returning to Maslov´s theme
This could include the
order to realise their ideas and to support
to ´regeneration´ is needed focussing first
Contemporary sociologists such as Gehl,
themselves and their family. But it can
on people´s wellbeing. The psychologist
Puttnam and Oldenburg have highlighted
also relate to people´s community and
Abraham Maslow provides useful insight
the importance of a ´life lived with others´
neighbourhood. In each case it is about
into what this might mean in practice. He
- our intrinsic need for social contact. Their
creatng the opportunity to participate in
observed that people have intrinsic needs
writing suggests that the pursuit of happiness
shaping, influencing and investing in their
that have to be met in order to ensure they
might lie the creation of opportunities for
future.
9 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Developing igloo´s approach
•
Context is everything:
..
The new policies set out measures and
Bringing together this thinking has resulted
That
an
standards that at first glance seem common
in four new policies which in turn deal
igloo regeneration project should
sense but in modern developments are
with ‘health, happiness and wellbeing’ and
be an appreciation of the wider
overlooked. They also focus attention
which will be applied to all their property
neighbourhood,
on the wider neighbourhood, and in the
investments. Their approach is based on
each
on
spirit of urbanism, the chance to harness
three basic premises:
neighbourhood wellbeing, with an initial
the potential of cities to change lives and
focus on basic needs and defficiencies.
realise people’s potential. It is in this way
•
Celebrating the city:
the
starting
point
and
intervention
for
the
will
impact
have
.
That the focus should be on celebrating
that the long-term value of investment •
.
in regeneration can be unlocked, to the
That igloo should seek to create
benefit of investors, communities and the
contribution that cities have made to
opportunities
environment.
civilisation, the ways in which they can
fulfilling and happy lives, based on an
improve people’s quality of life, and
understanding of the human condition
how their more detrimental effects can
and basic needs, and bounded by a
be minimised or even designed out.
strong social contract and the need to
and
emphasising
the
positive
Happiness but not at any cost: for
people
to
live
The standards are set out below:
live within environmental constraints.
Creating opportunities for community
Standard 1: Vibrancy & intensity The public realm should provide enough visual interest and active facades at ground level to retain people for longer, and to encourage them AR
D1
:V
to stop and spend time in the neighbourhood. IB
This should be measured based on: CY
t=8
AN
,0 0
R
0p
er
da
y
S TA ND
I nt es it y
F o o t f al l T a r g e
an d
per hr
•
Footfall, with a target of 8,000 per day for active frontages, adjusted for the temporal distribution caused by different mixes of uses.
•
Façade visual interest, with a target for areas of active uses of at least 6-8 unit doors per 100 metre, of which at least 1 should promote
10m
sitting, extending into the public realm
•
25%
People’s speed of movement, and the length and type of interaction with the ground floor uses - with a target of a 25% stopping to look, and 20 people per hour / 10m of facade stopping to socialise or go in/out of a building
10 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Standard 2: Broadband access All homes and workplaces in igloo schemes will have access to high capacity fibre optic Co m
broadband networks, in order to give them
u m
na
lF
a competitive edge, facilitate modern acilites
patterns of living and working, and in order to future-proof data transfer capabilities.
ST AN
Communal facilities and portals will be made
D D2 AR
available to all residents in order to facilitate networking and information sharing.
B AD RO
:B
SO
s
3:
Co m
S TAN DA
RD
p on s i b
ties i li
l a re a
egal res
es i
be based on best practice from mixed – tenure
sibil
defined by each community over time. It should
Resp
on
s
dent
for other aspects to be formalised as social norms
............................... ............................... ............................... .........................
L
avoid anti-social behaviour – with the capacity
Upk
i ub l c
P
clearly setout legal responsibilities – such as to
AC
es of r iti
schemes and social landlords, and will setout the rights and responsibilities of residents to one another and to the upkeep of the scheme and its public realm and communal areas.
11 – ISSUE 03
m u na
role to a tenancy agreement. The ‘contract’ should
p of
A Social Contract
All residents of igloo schemes will be required to sign-up to a ‘social contract’ that is similar in its
A
ee
T
Standard 3: Social contract
CI
L C O NT R
the sc
al m re
AC CES S
heme
A N D
Exploring Happiness
AN
Supporting Healthy Lives
D
D
u al A
cc e ss
ST
Standard 1: Dual aspect
AR
1: D
The majority of residential units should have two perpendicular aspects, particularly where streets are narrow or north facing. The two aspects should be no more than 12 metres apart (for conventional ceiling heights and a 1:1 street enclosure ratio), with the internal layout facilitating the free
12
m
passage of air between the two aspects – with the exception of internal stairwells or communal
x
atriums that are designed to passively ventilate.
x x =1 x
STAND
NA
TU
R
A
ED
ur
ne
2:
L
ba
ce ns
ARD
V i b ra
nt
GE
Standard 2: Natural edge At least one aspect for each home or workspace should provide a view with visual interest,
G
re
en
either in the form of a vibrant street scene or
S pa ce
green/blue space in a courtyard or across a larger external space. Street trees should be
m
lu
eS
p ac e
planted at a density of 80 trees per km of street.
ee
s=
1k
B 80
12 – ISSUE 03
tr
Exploring Happiness
Standard 3: Materials to be avoided ST A
ND
AR
D3
:M
Specific materials will be blacklisted and will be excluded from use by contractors. The initial list AT
ER
will include:
I
A LS
TO
•
BE
HCFC’s, polyurethane, polystyrole and PVC
AV
OI
DE
Tox
ic woods
D
Pr eservative
Fo rmaldehyde
L Co ead ds mpoun
Chlorinated compounds – Fluorinated carbons such as
•
Formaldehyde – Contained in products such as particle board and insulation
•
Lead compounds – Contained in paints or primers
•
Toxic wood preservatives – PCP’s, lindane and dichlorofluoronide
•
Volatile Organic Compounds – Common paint ingredients and solvent bases including acrylic resin, ethylene glycol, petroleum and toluene.
Ch l orinated C om pounds
U
se
of
cn
cr ete
sho uld be
The use of concrete should be carefully considered and designed c litile Organi Com unds po
Vo
in order to take into account potential for radon gas.
carefully considered
Standard 4: Leisure routes & spaces
C ES
DA AN
enables them to make a leisure walk or cycle
ER
+ SP A
ST
at least one safe walking and cycling route that
:L
UR
ES
RD
4
All residents and workers should have access to
S EI
T OU
of at least 2km from their front door and in a continuous green setting (see Standard 2). A green or open space of at least 1 hectare should be accessible to all within a 400 metre walking distance, and in family areas this should include
D 5: L AR
>2km
E TI M
E
S
IF
S TA N D
400m
a Local Equipped Area of Play (LEAP).
Standard 5: Lifetime homes All igloo homes will seek to comply with the broad principles of Lifetime Homes. igloo will seek to ensure that it’s ‘Lifetime Homes’ respond to the need to attract and retain people in cities, to include people wanting to start a family but to stay in the city, but also older people wanting to ‘downshift’. Through its management arrangements igloo will seek to respond to residents changing needs, which could include assistance to identify and/or move to homes that are smaller or larger.
13 – ISSUE 03
H O ME
Exploring Happiness
Living in the city ST
AN
DA
RD
1:
SE
CU
RI
TY
Standard 1: Security Entrances and transitions from public to communal/private space, as well as the quality of external doors, windows and fixtures will conform with the latest guidelines published under the Police’s Secured by Design standards. Concierges will be provided where it is viable. igloo will seek to respond to best practice and guidance promoted by Secured by Design, in so far as it does not conflict with igloo’s emphasis on informal surveillance created by well used streets and public realm, and
Sky view: Schemes should achieve an average ground
ic
a te
DA
M
li m
AN
•
D
2:
c ro
ST
Standard 2: Microclimate
R
community stewardship of the public realm.
floor Sky View Factor of 0.58, with no one street or ground level window achieving less than 0.18. Ceiling heights should be at least 2.8 metres, preferably
260
higher at ground level, and glazing ratios should be higher on areas of façade with a lower Sky View
1.5%
Factor, albeit balanced against potential heat loss. •
28
2%
0
Daylighting: Plan depths for residential and commercial units should aim to be less than 14 metres for ceiling
0.58%
heights of 2.8 metres. Individual residential units
2.8m
should achieve daylighting levels of 2% in kitchens and 1.5% in living rooms, dining rooms and studies. •
<14m
Overheating: The internal microclimate of homes and workspaces should moderate temperature within a tolerance of 28 oC for 99% of the time with bedrooms that are below 26 oC for 99% of the time.
14 – ISSUE 03
D 3: IN R N AL
2
7
SP
AR
TE
STAND
Exploring Happiness
7m
Standard 3: Internal Spaces Homes will conform to the following
A C ES 6
2
6m
minimum internal floor areas
1m
2
1
m
06
E
R
N
AL
SP
AC
E
D
4:
EX
T
9
2
3m
AR
Communal
Private Fla t
ND STA
Standard 4: External space (private and communal)
m 7.5
2
2
1
0m
per unit
Schemes will be designed so that homes have access to a Town
combination of public, communal and private external space. For blocks and streets 10m2 of communal space should be designed-
2 5m
s
10m2
H
ou
se s
in per unit, usually in the form of courtyards, although up to 50%
+
of this could comprise streets designated as home zones. Minimum
DA
RD
Standard 5: Privacy
5: PRIV
ST A N
in-curtilage private external space standards are as follows:
ACY
Homes will have an airborne sound insulation value at least 5dB higher than that required in the current approved Building Imp
Regulations Document Part E. Impact sound insulation values a
ct
m
5 >1
Part E
8m
5
2
-5dB
will be at least 5dB lower that the performance standards set out in Part E. At least 10 % of igloos homes will be tested to demonstrate that they achieve the required standard.
Intrusion should be minimised through consideration of glazing, Airb or
ne
Part E
+5dB
internal floor layouts and distances between blocks. This should be based on the guidance referenced. Distances between blocks facing onto streets can be relatively tight, potentially down to 8 metres, as long as properties have a second aspect with a longer view, and a distance from other units of more than 15 metres.
15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Manifesto Upgrade: from Comfort to Happy, Flourishing Super Monkeys
URBED’s Jamie Anderson has been working for the last 12 months on a PhD at the Martin Centre at Cambridge University. Based on his research this article looks at urban design through the lenses of Positive & Evolutionary Psychology
We were born hedonists. As babies we are unabashed pleasure
You are a super monkey. Well, super primate - with hundreds
seekers, trying to grab smooth objects, chomping sweet edifices
of millions of years of R&D behind you. Trouble is, with the
and checking out pretty things. We are wired to pursue happiness
exception of the last few years (approximately 8,000), you and your
but, despite this positive start, the proportion of people in UK
genes were designed for an altogether different environment. You
saying that they are “very happy” has fallen from 52% in 1957 to
are, as Bjorn Grinde puts it, a Stone Age creature living in a Jet
just 36% today. This is echoed in numerous developed countries
Age Zoo. This brings about mismatches or living conditions that
- each frittering colossal potential – since happy people tend to
are alien to the conditions that shaped us - the Environment of
flourish and are associated with physical health, positive relations,
Evolutionary Adaptedness (EEA).
engagement
and
productivity. Why
For instance, EEA moulded us, amongst other things, as biophiliacs.
so unhappy?
Pardon? No, that wasn’t an insult – it’s why most of us, sometimes on a deeply sub-conscious level, love nature – from potted plants to eco-tourism. This affinity with nature is powerful. A clever Swede called Roger Ulrich has shown that hospital patients with a green view, not only recover more quickly, need fewer drugs and encounter fewer complications - than those with a view of a brick wall. Grinde calls problematic mismatches - such as lack of patient contact with nature “Discords”. The demise of family and community are two further discords at the interface of culture and our biology. As a cultural form, we know, intuitively, that the built environment has brought and continues to bring discords. However empirically, it is far from clear to what extent the built environment is responsible, directly or indirectly, for this deterioration in happiness. Neither is it clear which specific aspects are mismatches that, in fact, enhance mental wellbeing. For instance, a combination of urban green infrastructure, appropriate massing and street definition
16 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Significantly Associated
Not Significantly Associated
•
Damp
•
Height of building (to live in)
•
Noise
•
•
Sense of crowding
House type – house, flat, maisonette
•
Feeling safe in the day time
•
Light, heat, draughts
Feeling afraid to go out at night
•
Age of property
•
Density Recorded crime levels
•
Event to get people together
•
Sports and exercise facilities
•
Places to stop and chat
•
Shopping facilities
•
Access to community facilities
•
Vandalism and maintenance
•
Access to greenspaces
•
•
Needles and syringes left lying around
Feeling that people influence decisions
•
Access facilities
•
Liking the ‘look’ of the estate Transport and accessibility
•
to
can
entertainment
Factors found to be significantly associated with
Urban and rural population (billions) - UNEP
mental well-being in Greenwich
is not only beneficial in terms of microclimate and physiological
negative emotions of anger and fear - towards perceived threats
comfort but, the associated wildlife seems to bring a lot of people
(Etcoff, 2008). The ‘smoke detector’ is turned up too high and may
joy and the positive enclosure - a sense of coherence and increased
activate at a violin recital, or when walking in your local park.
social interaction. One of the first attempts to determine the impact of urban traits was undertaken by Greenwich Council
However, a positive psychologist would assert that, although
and their Teaching Primary Care Trust (Guite et al, 2006). This
responses to threats are essential (if we were governed only by
primary research established 13 factors as, statistically, significant
pleasure we would not survive) evolutionary theory neglects
to promoting well-being in local people. Nine other factors were
positive emotions. These emotions may have played an equally
found not to be significantly associated (see table).
important part in encouraging us to behave in ways that ensure our survival. They might say that not only do we need to make people
An evolutionary psychologist may flag-up that we can be extremely
feel safer with ground floor street animation and more comfortable
sensitive to negatives (the majority of the items on the left side of
with microclimate strategies but, look for ways to encourage
the table). We may be like this for good reason; evolutionarily, our
opportunities and enhance positives.
monkey brains knew that if we were not careful about ‘sticks’ then
defined and appropriately enclosed streets, active ground floors
there may be no ‘carrots’ to collect (Hanson, 2009). Our aversion to
plus benches, play areas, public art, biodiversity etc. Good urban
the taste of sour – which is detected at 1:2 million - compared with
design makes sense in positive psychology terms.
For instance, positively
1:200 for sweet - is one example. These days, a well-used marriage formula may have more relevance: make five positive remarks to
But we do not always get what we design. How do we know which
offset a single negative remark! (Gottman, 2005). Scenarios more
features are of most importance to well-being? Do some features
innocuous than an annoying spouse can prompt stress responses.
override others for different users? Do we know all of the most
The reaction is sometimes formidable - our bodies can be flooded
effective design interventions that cultivate happy patterns of
with endogenous opioids to dose pain, our blood vessels constrict
behaviour, thinking, feeling, motivation and social connection?
so that we are less likely to bleed, our heart pounds - ready to prime
There have been only modest amounts of valid research to date so
muscles etc. Our ancient systems are primed for survival and the
the answer to these questions is still no. The science of well-being
17 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
offers an opportunity to bolster as well as broaden the holistic remit of the urban design paradigm. Particularly in developing countries, where urban populations are increasing exponentially and it is paramount that wellbeing is optimized. As with any science - definitions are a good place to start. Happiness and well-being are both umbrella terms and are sometimes used interchangeably. There are two key types of well-being and both apply at personal and interpersonal levels. The first – hedonics - is more commonly known as subjective well-being (SWB). SWB is very much about how people feel. It is about pleasure and enjoyment – the presence of positive emotions, the absence of negative and satisfaction (Huppert et al, 2009). SWB gives us at lot to go at. The positive emotions alone – as recently suggested by Paul Ekman - are thought to include sensory pleasures,
of positive emotions (Begely, 2004). In additon, our brains can
amusement, contentment, relief, excitement, wonder, ecstasy,
enlarge and gain in sophistication throughout our lives. They are
elevation, gratitude and compassion. There are even two emotions
far more adaptable or “plastic” than we ever thought. They are
that elude the English dictionary: Schadenfreude - happiness in
built for change and to learn. We can all therefore lift our ‘set-
another’s misfortune; Naches - pride and joy in their children.
point’ - our average happiness - for ourselves.
The second key type of happiness is known as psychological well-
As individuals, the combination of evolved executive functions
being (PWB) and is based on Aristotle’s eudaimonia; the life well-
and neuroplasticity is powerful. They allow us to learn and/ or
lived. PWB extends well-being beyond the way people feel and
employ psychological processes such as mindfulness, altruism,
is more about how people function. It is about their autonomy,
compassion, optimism training etc. We can free ourselves from
competence or environmental mastery, interest, engagement and
the automatic behaviors and emotions (i.e. fear and anger) of our
meaning or purpose in life. It is about well-being as an active process
primate relatives and embrace our positive mental attributes to
‘well-doing’ and not the passive process of how good people feel
synthesize happiness. Meditating Buddhist monks are a powerful
(Huppert et all, 2009). As an urban designer working at URBED,
example. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, scientists
the concept of eudaimonia brings a degree of reassurance. Amongst
have found that monks revamp their brain structure and function
other things, we strive for connectivity, freedom of movement and
by expanding or strengthening circuits. As a result, the more
truly public realm. We push for densities that are conducive to the
experienced the meditator; the deeper and more enduring were
establishment of small businesses and public transport. We treat
the levels of well-being observed (Davidson, 2005).
regeneration as a truly participative and collaborative process with capacity building and community-led design. Each of these, in
But this change is generated from within. We are also susceptible
different ways and to varying degrees, encourages engagement and
to experience of the external physical environment. One of the
active participation; ‘well-doing’.
most famous examples is that of London Taxi drivers. Researchers have found that the number of years spent taxiing correlated with
So why super monkeys? We are 98% chimp but the 2% variance
the size of posterior hippocampi - the area of the brain associated
makes a huge difference. Since separating from our primate
with navigation and spatial memory (Maguire et al, 2000). Monks
ancestors our brains have nearly tripled in size. The architecture of
and cabbies both demonstrate we can remould our brains all of the
our skull has been overhauled in a blink of evolutionary time. This
time. Can the places we design, which are experienced repetitively,
is largely to accommodate huge frontal lobes and the pre-frontal
help expand and strengthen peoples’ happiness circuitry?
cortex (Gilbert, 2008). These new structures are involved in the
is important to note that both the monks and the taxi drivers
‘executive functions’ such as thinking, planning, problem solving,
make these changes under behavioural control. In other words,
language and regions in the left pre-frontal cortex are at the seat
they are not achieved in ‘auto-pilot’ mode. It is not clear what
18 – ISSUE 03
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Exploring Happiness
the cumulative impact may be for our well-being if we are either
stressors, making people safer and more comfortable. We have a
unconsciously interacting, or, the built environment stimuli is not
much better understanding of microclimate, democratic streets
sufficient to cause a subjective reaction.
and spaces etc. This has been very important work in light of our hyper sensitive ‘smoke detectors’ and the fact that pleasure is, in
Recent research concluded that it may well be important to design
part, about the absence of negative emotions. And as mentioned
for sensory stimulation (Byoko et al 2008). This does not necessarily
earlier, we have already gone some way to promoting eudaimonia.
mean we should start licking buildings or sniffing shared surfaces. It certainly does mean that we can pay more attention to the senses
We were born hedonists and although many of us lead comfortable,
and grapple with questions such as: what does the notion of hedonic
wealthier lives, we are not, on average, that happy. Our genes
adaptation (becoming habituated or used to good or bad) mean for
are expressed through environment (Huppert, 2009) and the
sunny, thoughtfully scented, tactile public space? How else can we
built environment may have a role to play in activating as well as
build or encourage eudaimonia - which people do not adapt to and
regulating genes. It may well be a moderate impact compared with
can be constantly varied?
psychological interventions we learn, like the monks, as individuals. But we can ‘point’ or at least ‘nudge’ peoples’ happiness - both
It is understandable that research into happiness may prompt
directly via the senses - for passive recipients and in-directly i.e.
some skepticism. Quite rightly, we have a fear of architectural
facilitating social interaction or meaningful job creation for active
determinism and repeating carbuncles associated with modernist
participators. Collectively, as practitioners and researchers, our
optimism in the 1960’s- 70s. However, the modernists did not
large ‘plastic’ forebrains equip us with the imagination to work,
employ any proper holistic (valid or reliable) ‘affective forecasting’
more deliberately and creatively, towards an upgraded manifesto:
- knowing how we will feel in the future. Research and design
taking us from comfort to a happy and flourishing species.
has already come along way in reducing discords, environmental 19 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Happiness Strategies at One Brighton The recently completed ‘One Brighton’ scheme by Bioregional Quintain is an experiment in happiness. Built as part of URBED’s New England Quarter masterplan, the scheme has been conceived, designed, constructed, marketed and managed in accordance with the 10, One Planet Living principles. One of these principles is to promote health and happiness something perhaps a little radical for us Calvinist Brits? However Pete Halsall of , BioRegional argues that we should assuage our feelings of guilt and silliness that we seem to feel in pursuing such a goal.
As a developer we are corporately
and food growing areas, as that would be a
quality? What about the huge damage to
committed
Planet
great place to socialise, meet new people,
respiratory health by mould growth in warm
Communities. The joy of working with
and grow food and maybe flowers. So we’ve
but wet buildings? We have created a vapour
these principles is the process of discovery
done that. Another said that an apartment
permeable wall system so that water vapour
as the implementation of such ideas
building needs gardens, and not necessarily
can escape to the outside and leave the wall
requires considerable research, debate,
of the public realm variety, but perhaps
surface mould free. We have implemented
soul searching, thinking and no small
in small , intimate places where one can
a Scandinavian heat recovery ventilation
amount of trying to work out how to frame
ponder and enjoy the view. So we have
strategy – not seeking to ventilate by drilling
and then apply them. We have taken the
incorporated ‘sky gardens’, lounge–size
holes in the frames of high performance and
Corbusian approach, and omitted both the
outside spaces interspersed elevationally
very energy efficient windows – but rather by
car and the megalomania to create features
between residential units. Rooms without
mechanically bringing in fresh air, preheating
and characteristics that will engender
windows, filled with light, space and plants.
with waste exhaust air from kitchens and
health, happiness and a genuine sense of
Our architect suggested that we could create
bathrooms and then finally re-heating it
community? Architectural philosophers
a sense of community with corridors that
from renewable energy sources if required to
might say the idea is that of a latter day
mirrored non orthogonal street patterns.
achieve a comfortable room temperature.
humanistic modernism – I say fine to that,
So we’ve done that too.
to
creating
One
Above all, we have taken a simple principle
but let’s be a little braver and call it health and happiness by design.
We also thought about health in buildings.
– health and happiness – and applied it
Amazingly, the wider UK green building
to all stages of the development. We even
So – what have we done? Firstly, we
community seems to have virtually no real
applied it to our site workers eco-café, where
consulted and asked everyone a basic but
concept of it. Yes, we must save energy.
builders were fed local and sustainable food
powerful question. If you were going to
Yes, we must reduce air infiltration losses
produce. So let’s not forget, and this could
live in this building, what would make you
as it’s silly after all to insulate a building
be the retrospectively created motto for One
healthier and happier? Somebody suggested
and then let the heat seep away from the
Brighton - it takes healthy and happy workers
that we use the roof space for allotments
unseen cracks. But what about indoor air
to create healthy and happy communities.
20 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood
Communities are good for you As we sculpt the urban neighbourhoods of our cities should we be paying more attention to the communities we are helping to create? Definitely! Should we seek to transplant a suburban life experience into modern urban living? Definitely not argues David Rudlin in this extract from Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood published by the Architectural Press.
Recognising the value of community is one thing,
class areas do not need strong communities to ensure their
understanding how communities work is quite another.
success? The debate about community in the 20th century
Yet without this understanding attempts to create
was almost entirely focused on social housing. The reason was
communities can go hopelessly wrong. This is where the
that communities came to be seen as ‘good for you’ rather
paternalism of public authorities has devalued the concept
than just good. There is just a short step from this to the
of community and where academic and professional debate
philosophy that ‘our idea of community is good for you’.
has been dominated by some very muddled thinking. Inevitably many of the professionals and academics who have Why does no one agonise about the need to build middle-
debated the value of community over this period have done
class communities? Is it that middle-class communities are so
so while living in the suburbs. In the suburbs what people
strong that they do not need professional help or that middle-
tend to mean by community is the rich network of voluntary
22 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness Exploring Happiness
groups such as churches and amateur dramatic societies which
youths on the corner who might have been drug dealers. The
thrive in such areas. People may only be on nodding terms
children playing amongst the parked cars were in mortal danger
with their neighbours but they play an active part in networks
(not to mention the dog) and were symptomatic of the area’s
of people who share similar interests and values often over
lack of play facilities. The car mechanics were an unauthorised
quite a wide geographical area. At the same time behaviour
use on the public highway. They noticed the overturned bin,
is controlled by a milieu of social pressures which ensures
the broken glass, the graffiti and could no doubt have found a
that lawns are trimmed and disturbance is minimised.
syringe or two if they had looked hard enough in the back alleys. In short, what they saw was not a tightknit urban community
This is not however the sort of community which has exercised
but a stressed inner city district in need of their help.
academics and professionals concerned with the inner city and social housing development. Their idea of community has not
This is the way that many professionals view urban communities
been the social networks and interest groups that characterise
– through suburban eyes. Most of my fellow council officers
suburban areas but rather a vague notion of conversations
commuted in from the leafy suburbs of south Manchester and had
over the garden fence, corner shops and being able to leave
a very different idea of community from the people of Moss Side.
your front door open while children play on the street. This
This is not to say that either idea of community is right or wrong
lies at the heart of the confusion over what we mean by
or to suggest that Moss Side’s community was perfect. It does
community. We have been seeking to promote a vague and
however illustrate some of the confusion that muddles the debate
idealised notion of urban community yet we have judged such
about community. The community in many of the older parts of
communities by suburban standards so that we have failed
Moss Side has many of the characteristics that professionals and
to recognise and value them even where they do exist.
academics have been promoting for years yet when confronted with such a community, warts and all, in a deprived inner city area
This is perhaps best illustrated by a personal example from
they either do not recognise it or do not like what they see. Instead
Manchester. I remember walking around the terraced streets
they start judging urban areas by suburban standards. This is when
of the Great Western Street area of Moss Side with a group of
attempts to build or engineer communities can go badly wrong.
fellow council officers in the mid 1980s. It was a warm day that
could have come from the memoirs of those elderly residents who moan that things were so much better in the old days.
Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood: Building the 21st Century
Front doors were left open, children were playing in the street,
Home – Architectural Press Oxford 2009
people were chatting on doorsteps, a couple of men were fixing a car propped up on bricks and one particularly blasé dog was
This updates the 1999 edition Building the 21st Century Home
snoozing in the middle of the street. The perfect picture of an
that played a small part in the rediscovery of urbanism in the UK.
urban community, one might think. However this was not what
The new edition has been re=written drawing on the history of the
my fellow council officers were seeing. What they noticed was
last ten years as well as URBED’s experience working a range of
the loud music coming from the open doors and the group of
strategies and masterplans across the UK.
23 – ISSUE 03 23 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
The Built Environment and Wellbeing The wellbeing agenda is not peripheral or a ‘nice bonus’ for the world of architecture, planning and urban design, it is a necessity. Elizabeth Burton founder director of WISE (Wellbeing in Sustainable Environments) at Warwick University tells us in her view why.
I was told on more than one occasion in design studio reviews to stop thinking about people and to see the building as sculpture
Pause a moment and think about your
and promoted. I staggered through my degree
favourite urban place. It may be indoors or
and went on to complete my professional
outdoors. It may be somewhere you go for
training, later taking up a research career
holidays or somewhere you visit regularly.
as it seemed to provide a better route for
Imagine being in this place now. How does it
developing an alternative design philosophy.
make you feel? If only we could capture what it is about this place that makes it so good,
Recent heated debate at a Cumberland Lodge
in order to recreate it in new development!
conference on ‘Hope in the Built Environment’
This is what we are trying to do in the WISE
(November 2009), involving some well-known
(Wellbeing in Sustainable Environments)
UK architects, convinced me that architecture as
research unit, now based at the University of
modern art is still the norm for the profession.
Warwick. I set up the unit in 2004, in order
It is interesting that even architects presenting
to investigate how the built environment
‘design for wellbeing’ speak in highly abstract
affects our wellbeing, health and quality of
terms, stating design benefits with no evidence
life, seeking to find aspects of design that are
base or user opinion. To be fair, I can see why
positive and to offer evidence-based guidance.
architecture has adopted this stance. The Modernists got such bad press. Yet, many
WISE grew out of my own disillusionment
of them, Le Corbusier included, very much
with common architectural thinking and
embraced their social agenda. On the whole,
education. When I began my architectural
they aimed to make life better for people, to
training at University at the age of 18 I thought
free housewives from the drudgery of their
– idealistically, you may say – that it was all
existence, and to lift people up into the sunshine
about making a better world for people. I soon
and fresh air. The problem was, well meaning
discovered that architecture was considered
as they were, they got it wrong. They got it
to be an art form. I was told on more than
wrong because their proposals were based on
one occasion in design studio reviews to stop
their own original ideas about what would work
thinking about people and to see the building
– none of these were tested or based on previous
as sculpture. Contrary to Bentham’s Utilitiarian
evidence of success. So what has happened
ideas of ‘the greatest happiness of the greatest
since then is that architects have retreated
number’, designing ‘to please the masses’ was
from their social role, denying that they are
almost the polar opposite of what was admired
engaging in any way with social engineering
24 – ISSUE 03
Exploring Happiness
or architectural determinism – after all, how
As for the activities of WISE, we are in the
arrogant it is to assume they know what is best
process of setting up a new Masters course
for people! It is much safer to claim the artist’s
on health and the built environment, which
role. What was more, towards the end of the
aims to train a new generation of designers
20th century the architectural profession as a
and practitioners in evidence-based design
whole was coming under threat because of new
and design for wellbeing. Initiatives in this
contractual arrangements such as ‘design and
area, mostly in the US, have been limited
build’ and the rise of the ‘project manager’.
to the design of healthcare facilities. There
Everyone and anyone can have a view on design
seems to be a lot of interest already in this
– compare this with the protected position of the
more generalised, multidisciplinary course.
medical consultant whose opinion is the final word. It is not surprising that architects further
Moving forward, there will be many challenges.
mystified their role by using a language that was
We need to find ways of turning research
increasingly specialised and obscure, delivering
findings into guidance that doesn’t unnecessarily
the message that not everyone could do the job!
inhibit creativity. We don’t want to foster a ‘one size fits all’ design solution that reduces
We are at the beginning of a new decade
environments to a lowest common denominator.
and never has the need to design our
It is essential for our research to address
environments for wellbeing been stronger.
the more intangible elements of design (e.g.
There are several reasons for this:
‘ugliness’) and to control for the many other influences on wellbeing. Design for wellbeing
1. Wellbeing is an integral part of
needs to allow for the many differences between
sustainability, and in order to address
people and to avoid conflicts with other worthy
climate change effectively we need to
requirements such as energy reduction and
design low energy environments that
historic conservation. But at the beginning of the
people want to live in and encourage
2010s, I issue a clarion call to all those interested
them to live more sustainably.
in the built environment, to actively pursue the
2. There is growing evidence of the
wellbeing of all people in society – ideals still
link between health and built
matter and we can build a better world . . . .
environments, particularly in relation to obesity problems and the need
For more information about WISE,
for ‘walkable’ neighbourhoods.
contact Elizabeth Burton (e.burton@warwick.
3. The social model of disability and related
ac.uk) or visit the website:
legislation has led to increased interest
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/
in inclusive design or ‘design for all’.
healthatwarwick/research/devgroups/environments/
4. We know now that continued economic growth is not necessarily going to make us happier so there is a new focus in policies worldwide on wellbeing and how it can be promoted. 25 – ISSUE 03
We know now that continued economic growth is not necessarily going to make us happier so there is a new focus in policies worldwide on wellbeing and how it can be promoted.
Exploring Happiness
urban scrawl Issue 3
www.urbed.coop
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