| Description |
Human narratives are intertwined with the environments they inhabit. Building and designing environments has been part of human history for thousands of years. Over time, humans have become removed from nature, which has meant building places that are not considered beneficial for our mental health. Rates of mental health disorders have been steadily increasing. The urban built environment is a unique environment with many types of spaces. This study looks at an urban neighborhood in Salt Lake City, Utah and explores residents' experiences of living in the neighborhood. I then explore how those experiences correspond to emotions and feelings. The main findings for the participants' experiences are centrality, crime, social places, and neighborhood neglect. Correspondingly, the feelings attached to those experiences were belonging and urgency for civic engagement, empathy and stress, neighborly affinity, and anticipation and resilience. Lastly, I found that designed nature was the most important aspect for improving mental health and well-being. I assert that nature itself is not enough, it is the human alteration on nature that gives the most comfort. |
