healthy urban patterns - ccre

Healthy urban patternsPromotion of Healthy Aging: Built Environment and Technology Workshop 4

Healthy urban patterns

A. Healthy cities for an aging population

B. Why building healthy cities is not a public health priority

C. Future challenges


Manhattan Almere

A. Healthy cities for an aging population


.Manhattan

Statement 1. In terms of architecture and urbanism, there is no difference between

healthy cities for the elderly and healthy cities in general


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Why is Manhattan a healtiy city*Mobility-limited car ownership and use-many nearby incentives to to out

walking city*Social hubs*Access to healthy food*Access to greenery

Healthy city matrix:Lifestyles*mobility (physical exercise)*social hubs*greenery*healthy foodPhysical environment*indoor climate*outdoor climateSustainability*energy*natural resources


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Why is Manhattan a healtiy cityChecklist elderly friendlinessOutdoors*Safety*Safe crossings*No high curbs*Nearby public transport stops*Places to rest*Entertainment for youthIndoors*barrier free*one floor*elevators


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Manhattan vs. AlmereOutdoors*Mobility*Social hubs*Access to healthy food*Access to greenery *Safety*Safe crossings*No high curbs*Nearby public transport stops*Places to rest*Entertainment for youth*Outdoor climateIndoors*barrier free*one floor*elevators*indoor climate

Statement 2. The impacts of architecture and urbanism on public health are identifiable,

measurable and very substantial (investments in healthy cities are more effective than investments in medical institutions!)


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Urban patterns: densityOutdoors*Mobility*Social hubs*Access to healthy food*Access to greenery *Safety*Safe crossings*No high curbs*Nearby public transport stops*Places to rest*Entertainment for youth

Statement 3. In terms of public health, high density urban areas perform much better

than suburbia. (Suburbia endangers public health)


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Urban patterns: densityOutdoors*Mobility*Social hubs*Access to healthy food*Access to greenery *Safety*Safe crossings*No high curbs*Nearby public transport stops*Places to rest*Entertainment for youth

Statement 4. (Paradox): in most western countries, high density regions are made up of

suburban settlement patterns


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1. The nature of public health systems2. Politicized nature of debates on health3. The fundamental incompatibility of

public health, architecture and urbanism4. The built heritage5. Post-democratic politics6. Dutch disease


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1. The nature of public health systems

*<> 90% of the budget spent on medical facilities*Debate:-financial issues-expansion of medical repertory

Note: efficiency in terms of public health performance is not an issue


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2. Politicized nature of debates on health

Market <-> State

Note: efficiency in terms of public health performance is not an issue


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3. The fundamental incompatibility of public health, architecture and urbanism

Public Health Architecture & Urbanisma) Accumulation of expertise


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Public Health Architecture & Urbanisma) Accumulation of expertiseb) Quantifiable data

*disease incidence & mortality, per-demographic category-social and economic status-lifestyle-space (Note: zipcode) Ideally

.health assessment

.social and economic status

.demography

.links & connections


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Public Health Architecture & Urbanisma) Accumulation of expertiseb) Quantifiable datac) Interventions

Public Health: performance*assessment*quantifiable data

for instance walkability-lighting-street furniture-greenery-distraction


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Public Health Architecture & Urbanisma) Accumulation of expertiseb) Quantifiable datac) Interventions (spatial)

Public Health: performance*assessment-quantifiable data*interventions: walkability

-lighting-street furniture-greenery-distraction

BeforeWalking ratio 1

AfterWalking ration 1.2

Effect: measurable, quatifiable




The city, the polis, as the Greeks called It, was for them the matrix of civilization, the only form of ordered social life they could understand; it is the exclusive form assumed by ancient Greek culture from its beginning to its end. The city was small enough so that the citizens knew one another, participated in a communal life, shared the common joy of festivals, the sorrow of public bereavement, the keen excitement of competition, the common heritage of ancestral tombs and age-old sanctified places. The destruction of a city is a calamity all the more deeply felt because of the close cohesion of its inhabitants and their attachment reinforced over generations from a mythical past, to its landmarks and buildings.

Robert Knox, Introduction to Homer, The Iliad

PergamomRome, Budapest, Hegemann




The city, the polis, as the Greeks called It, was for them the matrix of civilization, the only form of ordered social life they could understand; it is the exclusive form assumed by ancient Greek culture from its beginning to its end. The city was small enough so that the citizens knew one another, participated in a communal life, shard the common joy of festivals, the sorrow of public bereavement, the keen excitement of competition, the common heritage of ancestral tombs and age-old sanctified places. The destruction of a city is a calamity all the more deeply felt because of the close cohesion of its inhabitants and their attachment reinforced over generations from a mythical past, to its landmarks and buildings.

Robert Knox, Introduction to Homer, The Iliad

PergamomRome, Budapest, Hegemann




Analogy: Evidence Based Design in Hospitals

Pyramids, Greek temple, cathedral, Groningen town hall, Amsterdam School, Eiffel station, Koolhaas




Now: how would designers operate…*assessment-spatial analysis in terms of quality-analysis in terms of original intentions-analysis in terms of design strategies*interventions-qualitative design: post-war housing estates.mix of traffic flows.public space as place (recreation of urban repertory).additional functions (urban gardening)*post intervention assessment?


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Public Health Architecture & Urbanisma) Accumulation of expertiseb) Quantifiable datac) Interventions

Public Health: performance*assessment*quantifiable data

Statement 5. Only if Architecture and Urbanism can absorb the incorporate Public Health

data, and only if Publich Health can absorb the methods of architecture and urbanism, will the design of healthy cities be possible


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4. The built heritage

Suburbia: ‘Randstad’*Result of a dramatic shift from compact urbanization to suburbanization (1945-1950)*Originally propagated for-fostering a sense of community (small scale units)-being healthy (offering a green environment)-representing the opposite of the metropolis*Already then-doubts about social benefits-certainty about negative health effects

*Behind the scenes:-seen as a safety device against air raids-seen as a strategy to cope with economic uncertainty


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4. The built heritage

Suburbia: ‘Randstad’

Now: a disaster in the making*Economically-Private investments in suburbia have stopped-Developers urge for subsidies to demolish peripheral offices-Massive problems of shops in all smaller units

*Socially-Fragmented parallel societies

*Health-Lagging behind densely built up larger centers


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B. Why building healthy cities is not apublic health priority

5. Post-democratic politics

Democratic politics:a. Define the problemb. Initiate a public debatec. Develop policies

Post-democratic politics (exemplified by ‘Agenda stad’):c. No policies, just ‘inspiration’ – the cities have to do it themselvesb. No public debate – marketinga. Out of the question: to analyze and define problems

Edited out:*Suburbia as a disaster in the making*The need for history to strengthen regional identities


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B. Why building healthy cities is not apublic health priority

6. Dutch disease


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C. Future challenges

1. Harmonization of Architecture, Urbanismand Public Health

2. Public Health in Suburbia

3. Expertise Networks: -Groningen-Delft-Berlin

healthy urban patterns - ccre

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