Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health
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  • Home
    • Mission and vision
    • Need and opportunity
  • About
    • Our people
    • Friends and Partners
    • Join us
  • Learn
    • TOOLS >
      • Curated Research
    • Facts and Figures
    • What is mental health?
    • How the city affects mental health
    • How mental health affects the city
    • How urban design can impact mental health
    • Mind the GAPS Framework
    • How to measure mental health
    • Courses
  • Cities
  • Journal
    • Submit to Journal
    • Edition 1
    • Edition 2
    • Edition 3
    • Edition 4
    • Edition 5
    • Edition 6
    • Edition 7
    • Edition 8
    • Edition 9
  • SANITY & URBANITY FORUM
    • Pandemic Posts (Archive)
  • Events
    • PRESS EVENTS
    • Washington DC Dialogue
    • London Dialogue
    • Tokyo Dialogue
    • Hong Kong Dialogue
    • Restorative Cities Event
  • Contact

SPEAKER REQUEST

To request a UD/MH Fellow to speak, or to explore setting up a UD/MH Dialogue in your city,
​please email here.

UPCOMING EVENTS


Healthy City Design 2025 (HCD 2025) International Congress, Awards & Exhibition

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Transitions to health:
​Impact through planning, policy and investment

14–15 October 2025, Lowry, MediaCity, Salford | Greater Manchester

The 9th Healthy City Design 2025 (HCD 2025) International Congress, Awards & Exhibition is a global forum for the exchange of knowledge on the research, policy, practice and investment in designing healthy and sustainable cities and communities.

As we build the cities of tomorrow, connecting investment to health as a foundation for economic and social development is critical for the future prosperity of communities where opportunities are available for all to thrive.
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The Congress attracts researchers, practitioners, community voices, investors and policy makers from around the world committed to advancing health and health equity and sustainable development at the centre of the way we plan, develop and invest in our cities and communities.

PAST EVENTS


New York Build Expo 2025 - Forecasting the Future of Cities & Design

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​Forecasting the Future

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New York Build Expo 2025
March 12th & 13th. 2025, New York City, USA

UDMH Fellows Nelida Quintero and Erin Sharp-Newton will be attending the New York Build Expo in New York City at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC.

UDMH aims to provide a voice for the importance of incorporating mental health and well-being in our cities, and places.  New York Build is the largest construction event in NYC with  35,000+ attendees include city planners, policy makers, and leaders in all sectors including architects, civil engineers, realtors, developers, government and allied professionals.  We hope to bridge gaps and expand awareness to reach practioners, planners and decision makers.


The 15 Minute City: Cities of the Future
In particular, don't miss the panel with Dr. Nélida Quintero, where she will be the  Moderator of a cross-disciplinary panel of architecture and urban design professionals discussing the future of cities.

12 Mar 2025,  14:00 - 14:50 NYC on Stage 2,  Architecture & Design

Other Panelists Include:
Theodore Liebman, Principal - Perkins Eastman Architects
David Green, Principal - Arup
Patrick McAffrey, AIA, Associate Principal, Studio Director - Dattner Architects
Rob Piatkowski, Lead Urban Designer - WSP

Limited free registrations here


UDMH "Mind the GAPS Framework" in Texas

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H-GAC's Annual Fall Planning Workshop
Between Home and Work: How Third Places Help Build Inclusive Communities
6 December 2024, Zoom + Texas, US (8:30 to 11 a.m.)

Keynote Speaker:  Dr. Nélida Quintero, PhD, MArch, MFA,  is a Fellow at the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, Environmental Psychologist & Architect

​Dr. Quintero presented unique insight on the UDMH Mind the GAPS framework


H-GAC participants delved into the crucial role of third places—vibrant social spaces that exist beyond home and work. These gathering spots, such as cafes, parks, libraries, campuses, community centers, and other unique gathering spaces are essential for fostering inclusivity and strengthening community ties.  Leading regional and international experts in urban planning, community development, and social innovation share insights on how third places can transform neighborhoods and promote inclusivity.

Additional Speakers:
Beth Nilsson, NCIDQ, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, Director,  ​Building Healthy Places at Urban Land Institute
David Overland and Keeper Brunson, Creatorspace
Richard Dougherty, RIBA ARB, Executive Director, Architecture and Facilities at Gallaudet University
Jeffrey Kaplan, Managing Partner at Concept Neighborhood, Co-owner of Axelrad

​
See more about the workshop here.


​Healthy City Design ​International Congress & Exhibition 

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​The Healthy City Design 2024 (HCD 2024)
15-16 October 2024, Liverpool, UK

​Healthy City Design 2024 (HCD 2024) is a global forum for the exchange of knowledge on the research, policy, investment and practice of designing healthy and sustainable cities and communities.  This  Congress offered the opportunity to explore the latest advancements and innovations in creating healthier, more sustainable cities.  

Hosted in the historical maritime port of Liverpool, this year’s Congress plenary theme was: ‘Building a fairer future: Advancing health equity through impact investment’

​See full programme here.



Restorative Cities Book Launch

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BOOK LAUNCH @ Urban Design Group
12th August 2021, London
Online event. Watch.

Centre for the New Urbanism Author's Forum 
12th October, Washington DC 
Online event. Watch.

Festival of the Future City / Bristol Ideas Festival
21st October 2021, Bristol, UK
Online event. Watch.

Van Alen Institute 
4th November 2021, New York City
In-person event. Watch.

RSA 
16th November, London
Online event. Watch.

Several additional events, not available to replay online. Details here. 

Healthy City Design 2020

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Usually this takes place in London, but thanks to COVID-19, this year it is virtual so you can attend from anywhere in the world. UD/MH is pleased to be a supporting partner for this incredibly relevant event. See our highlights from the event programme; timings are in UK timezone.
30th Nov
  • 12:15 - Session 7 - Urban communities: integrating work, home and health
  • 1:30 - Session 3 - International city responses to COVID-19 
  • 3pm - Session 8 - As part of Session 8, UD/MH Fellows Colin Ellard and Robin Mazumder talk about the psychological and physiological effects of distance from and repeated exposure to high-rise buildings - implications for stress restoration.

1st Dec
  • 10:30 - Session 17 on Co-designing integrated and resilient communities includes a presentation titled 'Suburban + Urban – will COVID-19 force us to choose between physical health and mental health? Resiliency in urban forms'
  • 5:15pm - Session 16 is Cities with nature: improving human & planetary health

2nd Dec
  • 8am - Session 28 starts at 8am but the presentation that sounds particularly interesting is at 8:30, on the therapeutic city. 

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The Hong Kong Dialogue
​
November 2017
Asia Global Institute
​Hong Kong


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The Tokyo Dialogue

August 2017
​Coca-Cola Japan
Tokyo, Japan


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​Pecha Kucha Tokyo

26 July 2017, Tokyo, Japan

​Layla McCay briefly presented UD/MH's new research on how Tokyo uses urban design for mental health, including further opportunities for Tokyo, and lessons and inspiration for cities around the world. Enjoy her 
slides while listening to her 6 min talk!

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3rd International Conference on Transport and Health

27-29 June 2017, Barcelona, Spain

​Layla McCay delivered a workshop on transport design for better mental health, developing a paper that was published in the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health.


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The London Dialogue

February 2016
Wellcome Trust
London, UK


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​The World Health Organization 9th Global Health Promotion Conference

21-24 November 2016, Shanghai, China

​This major global conference discussed opportunities for urban health promotion. Layla McCay presented on the opportunities for mayors and other policymakers to improve population mental health through better urban design, including the benefits to the city of doing so.

View UD/MH slides
View UD/MH summary of mental health discussions at the conference

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ARCC at Wellcome Trust
Human Physiology, Psychology and Placemaking 

18th November 2015, London, UK
​This meeting showcased a range of UK-based research in urban design and mental health. Layla McCay discussed how mental health became the 'Cinderella' of an urban design health movement that primarily focuses on physical health, and will identify key urban design opportunities UD/MH considers to have particular potential for improving mental health.


View UD/MH presentation
View all presentations


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The Washington Dialogue

July 2015
​British Embassy 
Washington DC, USA



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American Institute of Architects DC 
Design and Wellbeing Meeting

15th June 2015, Washington DC
Layla McCay introduced UD/MH to architects at the AIA DC Design and Wellbeing Meeting, followed by a fascinating discussion on harnessing biophilia, how lessons from mental healthcare design can be integrated into wider city design, and the challenges of mental health stigma deterring focus on this important area. ​

YouTube - all videos

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