Improving Sustainability in Architectural Research: Biopsychosocial Requirements in the Design of Urban Spaces

Abstract

There is an ever increasing interest in identifying the links between architecture and public health and in how urban design can positively influence the latter. The psychology of sustainability and sustainable development represents an innovative research area as a recent contribution to sustainability science and its trans-disciplinary configuration. The research topic deals with the importance and the centrality of the user-centered approach in the observation of the relationships among mankind, technological systems, and built environments, for projects that guarantee the conditions of physical, mental, and social well-being. Starting from the plurality of different disciplinary sectors, from anthropometry and sociology to psychology, “human experience” and user’s expectations are explored, understood, and systematized. The analysis of the relationship between health and urban design has allowed researchers to identify design strategies to improve the level of urban livability. The city of Pisa is the case study; mobility within the city is redefined through various levels of the use of space so that paths and areas of inclusion and socialization are re-valued, while new scenarios for some urban spaces open up. In this perspective, the design strategies synthetically follow two main directions: the re-appropriation of these places by the citizens and, at the same time, the promotion of their well-being from both a physical and psychological point of view.

Assessing Social Sustainability for Achieving Sustainable Architecture

“…In the literature, we observe that urban social sustainability refers to social equity [28,34], well-being and quality of life [6,35,36]. Social equity denotes justice and hence the equal distribution of resources: From the urban point of view, it refers to societies where there is no social and environmental exclusion; from the geographical point of view, it is representative of equal access to services in geographical areas [28].…”

“…Social equity denotes justice and hence the equal distribution of resources: From the urban point of view, it refers to societies where there is no social and environmental exclusion; from the geographical point of view, it is representative of equal access to services in geographical areas [28]. Strong societies are characterised by social cohesion and inclusion, based on social interaction, where well-being and quality of life are considered key objectives of sustainable development [36]. Well-being is a broad concept that refers to the state of being happy and healthy from the physical, mental, spiritual and social points of view [6,36].…”

“…Strong societies are characterised by social cohesion and inclusion, based on social interaction, where well-being and quality of life are considered key objectives of sustainable development [36]. Well-being is a broad concept that refers to the state of being happy and healthy from the physical, mental, spiritual and social points of view [6,36]. Since mental and physical health is considered crucial for people's satisfaction, well-being is considered a key variable for pursuing the development of sustainable societies.…”

Interrelations between the Media and Architecture: Contribution to Sustainable Development and the Conservation of Urban Spaces

“…On the other hand, Santi, Leporelli, and Di-Sivo consider the interrelation between urban architecture, sustainability, and health, concluding that the role of designers, in the field of architecture and urban planning, becomes significant in the realisation of democratic and sustainable urban contexts for the direct connections established with the policy of interventions, government actions, and social cohesion [52] (p. 1). In the next section, we analyze some example of interventions in this sense, but in which the media has played a key role.…”

The Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: Advancing Decent Work, Inclusivity, and Positive Strength-Based Primary Preventive Interventions for Vulnerable Workers

“…An increasing number of studies have shown primary preventive approaches in the domain of sustainable sciences (e.g., Leporelli and Santi, 2019 ; Santi et al, 2019 ; Chotchoungchatchai et al, 2020 ; Nowacki et al, 2020 ), and scholars have advanced these interventions to foster the strengths of the employees (e.g., Di Fabio, 2019 ; Di Fabio and Duradoni, 2019 , 2020 ). However, future studies are needed to expand knowledge on positive strength-based primary preventive interventions in vulnerable workers.…”