Social consequences and mental health outcomes of living in high-rise residential buildings and the influence of planning, urban design and architectural decisions: A systematic review

Abstract

Different types of high-rise residential buildings have proliferated in different countries at least since the 1940s, for a range of reasons. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current state of evidence on how planning, urban design and architectural aspects of high-rise residential buildings may influence social well-being and mental health. A systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Searches for peer-reviewed papers were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, Scopus, SciELO, and Web of Science; 4,100 papers were assessed. 23 empirical studies published between 1971 and 2016 were included. The review found that house type, floor level, as well as spaces intrinsic to high-rise residential buildings (e.g. shared stairwells) are associated with social well-being and mental health. However, conceptual gaps and methodological inconsistencies still characterise most of the research in this field. We expect that research about and policy attention to this subject may intensify due to its strategic relevance in the face of global challenges such as increasing urbanization and loneliness. This paper concludes by highlighting a number of recommendations for future research.

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The Physical Context of Child Development

“…With the exception of climatic and allergenic conditions and respiratory health (Braubach et al, 2011), much less is known about the physical quality of housing and educational settings in relation to child development. A small correlational literature, typically with controls for household SES, reports a positive association between high-rise housing and compromised mental health in children as well as their parents, particularly among low-income, single-parent families (Barros et al, 2019; Evans, 2006).…”

“…Moreover, some of these adverse developmental outcomes were partially mediated by parental distress. Not only building quality itself but also other factors, such as the design of entryways, corridor compared with suite configurations, surveillance opportunities, semiprivate shared groups spaces, spatial relationships to the street, and proximate natural areas may all contribute to how children and families respond to residential environments (Barros et al, 2019).…”