Built Environment and Green Spaces: Impact on Mental Health and Well-being

This thesis explores the intricate and multifaceted relationship between mental health, well-being, and the built environment, with a special emphasis on the psychological benefits of green spaces and nature-based interventions. As the global rate of urbanization continues to rise, the environmental and social changes associated with dense city living pose growing challenges to mental health. Exposure to stressors such as air and noise pollution, overcrowded housing, and limited access to natural spaces has been linked to increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. In response, scholars and public health professionals have begun exploring non-clinical strategies to promote mental well-being through urban design. Green spaces, including parks, urban forests, and gardens, are increasingly recognized as vital for psychological resilience. Nature-based interventions, such as green prescriptions, offer promising, low-cost alternatives or complements to traditional mental health care. These practices, supported by psychological theories such as Attention Restoration Theory (ART) and Stress Recovery Theory (SRT), suggest that exposure to natural environments facilitates emotional recovery and cognitive functioning. Recent empirical research, including ecological momentary assessment studies (e.g., Hammoud et al., 2023), highlights the importance of biodiversity and sensory richness in maximizing mental health benefits. This thesis argues that mental health is not merely a medical or psychological issue, but also a spatial and environmental one. Urban planning that integrates ecological design and promotes equitable access to restorative environments can significantly enhance community well-being. By adopting an interdisciplinary lens that combines insights from psychology, public health, and environmental design, this research contributes to a growing call for cities that heal — not harm — the mental lives of their inhabitants.