Volume 91, August 2013, Pages 141–152
Germany ☆
- Refers To
“I'm always entirely happy when I'm here!” Urban blue enhancing human health and well-being in Cologne and Düsseldorf, Germany
- Social Science & Medicine, Volume 78, February 2013, Pages 113-124
Abstract
Water
is one of the most important landscape elements. In settled areas,
planners rediscovered urban blue in the form of rivers as a soft
location factor in post-industrial times. Although the recognition of
the need for recreational or ‘healthy’ places like urban green or urban
blue in cities is increasing, current urban planning is mostly conducted
without taking beneficial health issues into account. In this paper an
extended concept of therapeutic landscapes is used to analyse two
promenades on the river Rhine in the centres of two German cities
(Cologne and Düsseldorf). A complex of qualitative and quantitative
methods from diverse disciplines is applied to obtain a
multi-dimensional image of salutogenic health processes. The results
show that the promenades are favourite places to spend leisure time and
to engage in recreational activities, in addition to providing
restoration from everyday stresses. Water is a strong predictor of
preference and positive perceptive experiences in urban environments.
Users of the promenades also report strong emotional attachments to the
place. Urban blue space may be interpreted as a therapeutic landscape in
various ways. The study forms a contribution to planning issues,
particularly considering benefits for human health, and enhances current
research concerning therapeutic landscapes.
Highlights
►
The first study to comprehensively explore the beneficial health
outcomes and well-being of urban blue. ► Using an extended therapeutic
landscape concept, we observed and questioned users of promenades in
city centres. ► Positive health aspects distinctly prevail over negative
outcomes. ► Key aspects for health are the physical environment, social
relationships, emotional attachment and the possibility to engage in a
variety of outdoor activities.
Keywords
- Germany;
- Urban blue;
- Therapeutic landscape;
- Water and health;
- Well-being;
- Cities;
- Environmental health;
- Urban planning
- ☆
- A Publisher's error resulted in this article appearing in the wrong issue. The article is reprinted here for the reader's convenience and for the continuity of the special issue. For citation purposes, please use the original production details; Social Science & Medicine, 78, 113–124.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
