The Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health brings together research and ideas from researchers and practitioners working across diverse fields at the nexus of urban design and mental health. It is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health.
MARCH 2025 EDITOR: Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo, PhD CO-EDITORS: Greg Rybarczyk and Nélida Quintero SECTION EDITORS: Daniel Gan and Erin Sharp-Newton |
Edition 9: Urban Landscapes for Mental Health:
|
AUGUST 2021
GUEST EDITORS: Daniel Gan and Zdravko Trivic |
Edition 7: Aging CityEdition 7 is guest-edited by Daniel Gan and Zdravko Trivic and focuses on their area of expertise: the aging city. In many cities around the world, populations are growing older. People aged over 65 years old are the fastest-growing population demographic group and the implications of this demographic shift on urban design and planning are still being understood. This themed edition offers new insight.
Highlights New directions for interdisciplinary research and participatory research Older people's mental health in suburbs v urban neighbourhoods How green spaces may prevent cognitive decline Age and Dementia Friendly Streetscapes Toolkit City case studies from Sydney and Lagos Restorative Cities book review FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS |
OCTOBER 2020
EDITOR: Layla McCay |
Edition 6: COVID CityEdition 6 of the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health published during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the full extent and nature of the impact of COVID-19 on urban design remains to be understood, this Edition explores the initial impact from a mental health perspective, and brings city insights from Adelaide, Ankara, Delhi, George Town, Montreal, Toronto, Washington and more.
Highlights Public space adaptability and resilience in reducing mental health inequalities during COVID-19. Impact of COVID-19 on social gatherings and perceptions of risk in public space COVID-19 Photoessay Emotional response to different types of nature exposure City case studies from Adelaide, Ankara, Delhi, George Town, Montreal, Toronto, and Washington, DC. FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS |
SEPTEMBER 2018
EDITOR: Layla McCay |
Edition 5: Urban PlayEdition 5 of the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health explores play: from how the urban environment affects young people's mental health to playing with ideas for the urban environment, with city insight from Brussels Charlotte, Copenhagen, Delhi, New York City, Las Vegas, Londonderry and Qazvin.
Highlights Las Vegas UD/MH case study Play and mental health: in Copenhagen, and in high-rise towers Mental health by design in New York schools Behaviour blockchain for healthy cities Creating shared safe space along a notorious river Perceiving urban aesthetics for mental wellbeing |
FEBRUARY 2018
EDITOR: Layla McCay |
Edition 4: Alone TogetherEdition 4 of the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health explores the impact of isolation from different angles from solitary confinement to gated communities, focuses on Hong Kong, and brings in young people's voices to understand the impact of large-scale development on local communities. We also provide a new air pollution review.
Highlights Hong Kong city case study Undoing solitary urban design Quantifying the role of urban place factors in mental wellbeing High speed rail infrastructure: construction and connection Life in a gated community Air pollution, mental health, and implications for urban design: a review FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS |
AUGUST 2017
EDITOR: Layla McCay |
Edition 3: New Perspectives
Edition 3 of the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health explores different perspectives from a range of sectors and settings, from a spotlight on Tokyo's approaches to opportunities in the housing, education and transport sectors.
Highlights Autonomous Vehicles and Mental Health Mapping Towards a Good City Life Urban design and mental health city case study: Tokyo Case study: Density and intimacy in public space - Jimbocho, Tokyo's booktown From sociopetal to sociofugal: a reverse procedure of Tehran urban spaces Scoping assessment of transport design targets to improve public mental health Housing design for socialisation and wellbeing FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS |
FEBRUARY 2017
EDITOR: Layla McCay |
Edition 2: Planning and Designing for Urban Mental Health
Edition 2 of the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health explores some of the planning and design determinants of mental health that can be addressed by urban planners, architects and other citymakers.
Highlights Associations between architecture, urban environment and severe psychosis Neighbourhood amenities and depressive symptoms in Older Adults One of the first studies of urban environments factors and happiness in Tehran Spatial design for child development and mental health in urban environments A new agenda for urban psychology: out of the laboratory and onto the streets Lonelitopia: how urbanism of mass destruction is crushing the American dream Productivity and urban mental health: an economic lens FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS |
FEBRUARY 2016
GUEST EDITOR: Itai Palti |
Edition 1: Conscious CitiesThe theme of the first Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health is conscious cities. Conscious cities is the concept of urban environments that are responsive to our needs through data analysis and the application of behavioural science in architecture and planning.
Highlights Smartphone apps to understand links between urban design and mental health Planning for wellbeing Social media can help urban planners and designers to understand and heal traumascapes Improving the lives of people with dementia through urban design The future of applied neuroscience research in architecture education Might beautiful places have a quantifiable impact on our wellbeing? FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS |
About the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health
The Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health is published online by the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, an international think tank that seeks to answer the question: how can we build better mental health into our cities?
All articles published by the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Get involved
If you are interested in becoming an editor, peer reviewer or submitting a research paper, analysis paper or case study for a future edition, or if you have other feedback or ideas for the journal, please contact us.
All articles published by the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Get involved
If you are interested in becoming an editor, peer reviewer or submitting a research paper, analysis paper or case study for a future edition, or if you have other feedback or ideas for the journal, please contact us.
ISSN 2398-4082 (online)