Maxime Spapens

Architectural Engineering

Healthy Urban Neighbourhoods Within Green Infrastructures

How can we deal with urban densification and the decline of green environments, which lead to increasing mental health risks? Qualitative green environments and building features positively impact people and their well-being. Due to the lack of space and the necessity to adapt to climate change, it is crucial to facilitate these healthy living environments within the existing urban fabric. 
To address this, the project proposes strategies to improve mental health in urban settings, focusing on decreasing depression/anxiety levels and risks by facilitating urban green infrastructures, using active and passive care. Implemented within an urban plan and a post-war flat in Boerhaavewijk, these strategies connect people with greenery and one another throughout different scales and settings. Within the building, users get ownership over spaces, which promotes individual mental well-being. Activities to improve mental health are easily accessible and encouraged, such as taking part in social and physical activity by going for a walk through the greenery and socialising within the building itself.

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