The Role of Urban Morphology Design on Enhancing Physical Activity and Public Health

Abstract

Along with environmental pollution, urban planning has been connected to public health. The research indicates that the quality of built environments plays an important role in reducing mental disorders and overall health. The structure and shape of the city are considered as one of the factors influencing happiness and health in urban communities and the type of the daily activities of citizens. The aim of this study was to promote physical activity in the main structure of the city via urban design in a way that the main form and morphology of the city can encourage citizens to move around and have physical activity within the city. Functional, physical, cultural-social, and perceptual-visual features are regarded as the most important and effective criteria in increasing physical activities in urban spaces, based on literature review. The environmental quality of urban spaces and their role in the physical activities of citizens in urban spaces were assessed by using the questionnaire tool and analytical network process (ANP) of structural equation modeling. Further, the space syntax method was utilized to evaluate the role of the spatial integration of urban spaces on improving physical activities. Based on the results, consideration of functional diversity, spatial flexibility and integration, security, and the aesthetic and visual quality of urban spaces plays an important role in improving the physical health of citizens in urban spaces. Further, more physical activities, including motivation for walking and the sense of public health and happiness, were observed in the streets having higher linkage and space syntax indexes with their surrounding texture.

Editorial for the Special Issue on “Experiencing the City: The Relation between Urban Design and People’s Well-Being”

“…As a result of a Geographically Weighted Regression analysis, this study found that land-use intensity and diversity have strong positive effects on urban vibrancy. Fathi et al [ 24 ] found that the characteristics of urban morphology that influence physical activity (spatial safety and accessibility), urban facilities and furniture, spatial integration and connectivity, and environmental comfort were the most important. These findings are similar to those on urban greenspaces by Veen et al [ 15 ].…”

“…These findings are similar to those on urban greenspaces by Veen et al [ 15 ]. Also, the aesthetics and visual aspects of the urban environment play an important role in promoting physical health [ 24 ].…”

Measuring and Evaluating the Quality of Urban Walkways from the Perspective of the Creative Urban Space

“…Creating a desirable urban environment requires adequate knowledge of walking characteristics and needs, abilities and desires to traffic. It is only based on these features that the walking can be successfully promoted (PQN final report, 2010; Fathi et al, 2020). Walkability capability is the level of utility of the artistic environment for the presence of people, life, shopping, meeting, spending leisure time and enjoying it in one area (Baghaee et al, 2021).…”

Hidden properties of city plans: A case study of Łódź

“…Integration is considered a measure of the quality of city space. Places with high levels of integration can support social cohesion, make places vibrant and safe, facilitate human interaction, reduce travel times, and enhance the physical activities improving the health of citizens in urban spaces (Fathi, 2020).…”