How cities can create happier public spaces

Happy Streets Living Lab participants

New research finds that adding greenery and colour to streets and laneways helps build trust between strangers

It looks like happiness is a choice, at least when it comes to urban design. In a new study led by Vancouver-based consulting group Happy City and the University of Waterloo’s Urban Realities Laboratory, researchers studied more than 100 people to see how changes to public space affected their emotions.

First, participants spent time in three Vancouver settings: a residential laneway, an intersection and a manicured green space. They then visited three similar sites where the City of Vancouver had intervened by injecting nature, colour and unique elements. The Happy Streets Living Lab found that in the latter, people expressed greater happiness, cared more about the space and trusted strangers more. For example, a laneway featuring lush greenery and community-informed design made them 50 per cent happier than a hardscaped one.