When designing for mental health, how far can architects go?

2016-09-19T13:23:00-04:00

“Genetics, early experiences, family relationships and social settings can’t be addressed through urban design,” McCay explains. “But urban design can and should play a role, just as it does for physical disorders, which have equally complex causes.” [...] But experts believe guidelines for healthy urban environments are currently failing to take this growing awareness into consideration. [...] “understanding of these issues is not yet mainstream” in the architectural community.

Layla McCay, director of the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, outlines the various ways urban design and mental health intersect:

Check out more videos from UDMH on their website.

For more news on urban psychology:

How urban designers can better address mental health in their work, according to a new think tank

2015-08-26T14:01:00-04:00

With the huge impact of mental disorders on people’s health and wellbeing, and the increased mental health risk of that comes simply from living in a city, you might think that mental health would be an urban health priority. In fact, few policies or recommendations for healthy urban environments address mental health in any depth.

Layla McCay, director of the recently launched Centre for Urban Design & Mental Health think tank, gives her two cents on the stigma that still overshadows mental health, both in urban design and current society.

Archinect - News

When designing for mental health, how far can architects go?

How urban designers can better address mental health in their work, according to a new think tank