What makes a neighbourhood walkable, bikeable, livable, vibrant and healthy?
Canadian homebuyers and land developers shared their perspectives on health supportive neighbourhood design.
For the attention of: Homebuyers, Urban planning professionals, Real estate professionals.
The problem: The importance of creating healthy built environments is recognized by public health authorities and the urban planning professions. There are different perspectives regarding neighbourhood qualities (walkability, bikeability, livability, vibrancy and healthy), which to date are not universally defined. The perspectives of recent homebuyers and land developers are often missing from the neighbourhood quality narrative. Homebuyer and land developer perspectives on neighbourhood qualities may not align with the perspectives presented in the academic literature.
What we did and why: We undertook a qualitative study to explore recent homebuyers’ and residential land developers’ perceptions of walkability, healthy, bikeability, vibrancy, and livability in relation to neighbourhood design. The study was undertaken in Alberta (Canada) and included one-on-one semi-structured interviews with 12 homebuyers and 12 land developers. The interviews included questions related to the neighbourhood terms of interest to gain in-depth insight into the perceptions of the built and social environment features associated with neighbourhood design.
What our study adds: The perspectives shared by land developers and homebuyers provided insight into their perceptions of walkability, healthy, bikeability, vibrancy, and livability in relation to neighbourhood design. Land developers described how these concepts related to their field of work, while homebuyers described these concepts and their influence on their recent home purchases. Participants described:
- walkability as: ease of movement, contextual differences, and connections;
- healthy as: opportunities for activity, and diversity;
- bikeability as: supportive infrastructure, and differing preferences;
- vibrancy as: matches peoples’ values, and supportive built features; and
- livability as: all encompassing, and safe and friendly.
Walkable and bikeable neighbourhoods are not necessarily livable or vibrant, but all these qualities contribute to a healthy neighbourhood.
Implications for city policy and practice: Homebuyers and land developers have similar perspectives on walkability, bikeability, livability, vibrancy and health although the built and social features described were not exclusive to any one-neighbourhood label. Walkability and bikeability appear necessary for vibrancy, vibrancy is required for livability, and livability is an essential quality for a health supportive neighbourhood. Our findings suggest that neighbourhoods should be described as “health supportive” rather than “healthy” due to the many perceptions of “health” among individuals.
For further information:
Built Environment and Healthy Living Lab: A research lab committed to improving the health and wellbeing of populations through neighbourhood built design.
Full research article: Cul-de-sacs make you fat: homebuyer and land developer perceptions of neighbourhood walkability, bikeability, livability, vibrancy, and health by Gavin R. McCormack, Autumn Nesdoly, Dalia Ghoneim & Tara-Leigh McHugh.
Ni nini hufanya kitongoji kinachoweza kutembea, kuendesha baiskeli, kuishi, kuwa na nguvu na afya? Wanunuzi wa nyumba wa Canada na watengenezaji wa ardhi walishiriki maoni yao juu ya muundo wa kitongoji cha kusaidia afya. Kwa tahadhari ya: Wanunuzi wa nyumba, wataalamu wa mipango ya mijini, wataalamu wa mali isiyohamishika. Kwa sababu ya umuhimu wa kujenga mazingira ya afya, mamlaka za afya za umma na wataalamu wa mipango ya mijini zinatambua umuhimu wa kujenga mazingira ya afya. Kuna mtazamo tofauti kuhusu sifa za kitongoji (walkability, bikeability, livability, vibrancy na afya), ambayo hadi sasa si universally maalum. Maoni ya wanunuzi wa nyumba za hivi karibuni na watengenezaji wa ardhi mara nyingi hupoteza kutoka kwa hadithi ya ubora wa jirani. Mteja wa nyumba na developer ardhi mtazamo juu ya sifa ya kitongoji inaweza si align na mtazamo iliyotolewa katika fasihi ya kitaaluma. Kwa nini: Tulifanya utafiti wa ubora ili kuchunguza maoni ya wanunuzi wa nyumba za hivi karibuni na watengenezaji wa ardhi ya makazi ya kutembea, afya, baiskeli, nguvu, na kuishi kuhusiana na muundo wa kitongoji. Utafiti huo ulifanywa katika Alberta, Canada, na ulijumuisha mahojiano ya moja kwa moja na wanunuzi wa nyumba 12 na watengenezaji wa ardhi 12. Mahojiano hayo yalitia ndani maswali yanayohusiana na masharti ya kitongoji ya maslahi ya kupata ufahamu wa kina katika maoni ya sifa za mazingira ya kujengwa na kijamii zinazohusiana na muundo wa kitongoji. "Utafiti wetu unaongeza: ""Mtazamo ulioshirikiwa na watengenezaji wa ardhi na wanunuzi wa nyumba ulitoa ufahamu wa maoni yao ya kutembea, afya, baiskeli, nguvu, na kuishi kwa uhusiano na muundo wa kitongoji.""" Watengenezaji wa ardhi walielezea jinsi dhana hizi zilivyohusiana na uwanja wao wa kazi, wakati wanunuzi wa nyumba walielezea dhana hizi na ushawishi wao kwenye ununuzi wao wa hivi karibuni wa nyumba. "Washiriki walielezea: ""kuweza kutembea"" kama: urahisi wa harakati, tofauti za muktadha, na uhusiano; ""kuweza kutembea"" kama: fursa za shughuli, na utofauti; ""kuweza kuendesha baiskeli"" kama: miundombinu inayounga mkono, na upendeleo tofauti; ""kuweza kuishi"" kama: ""kujumuisha wote, na salama na ya kirafiki.""" Majirani wanaosafiri kwa miguu na baiskeli sio lazima waweze kuishi au kuwa na nguvu, lakini sifa hizi zote zinachangia ujirani mzuri. "Kama matokeo ya sera ya mji na mazoezi: wanunuzi wa nyumba na watengenezaji wa ardhi wana maoni sawa juu ya ""walkability, bikeability, livability, vibrancy na afya"" ingawa sifa za kujengwa na kijamii zilizoelezwa hazikuwa za kipekee kwa lebo yoyote ya kitongoji." Uwezo wa kutembea na kuendesha baiskeli unaonekana kuwa muhimu kwa uamsho, uamsho unahitajika kwa kuishi, na kuishi ni ubora muhimu kwa ujirani unaounga mkono afya. Matokeo yetu yanaonyesha kwamba vitongoji vinapaswa kuelezwa kama "kuunga mkono afya" badala ya "sawa" kutokana na maoni mengi ya "sawa" kati ya watu binafsi. Maabara ya mazingira ya kujengwa na maisha ya afya: Maabara ya utafiti iliyojitolea kuboresha afya na ustawi wa watu kupitia muundo wa kujengwa wa jirani. "Kulingana na utafiti wa ""Cul-de-sacs make you fat: homebuyer and land developer perceptions of neighborhood walkability, bikeability, livability, vibrancy, and health"" na Gavin R. McCormack, Autumn Nesdell, Dalia Ghani, na Tara Leigh McHugh."