Mastering mobility: public space and public health

Research conducted by UN-Habitat has found that ‘well-functioning cities have around 50% of their surface area dedicated to public space.’ Public space offers opportunities for people who live, work, and play in the city to connect with one another, nature and the built environment.??

Public space design has been found to significantly influence the mental, physical and social health of communities. While most of us associate healthcare with medical interventions, research highlights that up to 89% of health determinants lie outside clinical settings. Thus, as cities grow, integrating health-focused urban planning can lead to profound societal benefits, from reducing chronic disease to offering meaningful financial gains.??

The role of public space?

Poorly designed public spaces can discourage physical activity, increase stress levels and expose residents to environmental hazards such as pollution and excessive noise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), environmental factors contribute to 24% of global deaths annually. In addition, 31% of adults and 81% of adolescents have been classified as ‘sedentary’ in that they do not reach the level of physical activity recommended by the WHO to reduce health risks. Well-designed public space can directly impact both of these factors.?According to UN-Habitat:

‘Green and open public spaces are essential to fostering the health and well-being of urban areas and their communities. Thoughtfully designed and well-maintained, these spaces encourage physical activity, support mental health, promote social cohesion, and enhance community engagement. Moreover, public spaces play a pivotal role in reducing air pollution, improving urban quality of life, delivering economic benefits, and advancing ecological sustainability.’?

For children, urban public spaces can offer rare places for safe play away from road traffic while still outdoors. Public infrastructure that encourages physical activity in children, such as playgrounds, helps reduce sedentary behaviour and encourages social mixing, setting the foundation for adolescence and adulthood. As outlined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, ‘Rest, play and leisure are just as important to a child’s development as nutrition, housing, health care and education.’?

For adults, public space can offer myriad opportunities for physical activity. Access to biking, walking, or running paths can encourage physical activity in leisure time, as well as an active alternative to commuting via private car. Additionally, public spaces that serve as ‘mobility hubs’ can provide attractive spaces of connectivity to lower emission modes of transportation, such as public transport, bike-sharing docking stations, and car-free lanes for active mobility. Offering connectivity to such transport options also helps to reduce emissions, improving air quality and public health.??

Public spaces that integrate greenery can also have meaningful impacts on pollution and heat, as urban trees can both capture airborne pollutants and cool surrounding areas. While the ‘pollution filtering’ power of urban trees widely varies depending on tree species, urban trees can both capture airborne pollutants and metabolise carbon dioxide into oxygen for the benefit of public health. Additionally, research published in the Journal of Environmental Evidence that reviewed 308 studies, predominantly in Europe and other temperate regions, found that air temperature under urban trees was on average 0.8 °C cooler, and urban forests were on average 1.6 °C cooler than comparative areas. Treed areas and parks were associated with ‘improved human thermal comfort and the cooling effects of these green public spaces extended up to 1.25 kilometres outside of their boundaries.??

Quantifying public health and public space?

While the benefits of urban public space abound, policymakers can deprioritise their development in favour of more traditional and (seemingly) more profitable development. The Healthy Cities Generator (HCG) is a tool that aims to show the return on investment of urban planning for public health using a data-driven approach. Developed in 2017 with continuous updates and improvements, this tool enables cities to assess the impact of their urban designs on physical, mental and environmental health. Recent enhancements, supported by EIT Urban Mobility’s Targeted Open Call, have introduced an economic impact analysis feature, translating health improvements into quantifiable financial benefits. This allows policymakers to advocate for health-oriented planning with economic justifications.?

The new economic assessment model was recently piloted in Bradford, England, a city with notable health disparities. The tool was used to analyse pedestrianisation and urban greening initiatives, and findings revealed that urban greening yielded greater health benefits than pedestrianisation, leading to an estimated €700 in annual healthcare savings per resident. With a projected return on investment within two years, the tool provided a compelling case for investment and showed that prioritising green spaces could offer a financial return.?

In Cascais, Portugal, a small municipality with a significant elderly population, the HCG tool helped evaluate an urban greening and pedestrianization project. The tool projected annual savings of €400 per resident, with a return on investment in just 26 months. This analysis enabled decision-makers to justify investments in quality and well-designed public space.?

Healthier cities and healthier citizens?

With advancements in urban planning, cities have an opportunity to transform public spaces into environments that enhance the physical well-being of their users. By integrating evidence-based design principles, urban planners and policymakers can prioritise the development of healthier, more liveable spaces that benefit individuals and society as a whole.?