Health implications of the built environment: lessons for an evidence-based design

Abstract

The purpose of the built environment had always been focused on protection from external hostilities (wild creatures, worse climatic conditions, etc.) and internal comfort. Recent studies suggest another spectrum regarding the physical and psychological implications of the built environment. As a specialised and crossed-disciplinary research area, the results are less than often conveyed and incorporated in the planning design practice. This research aims to develop a comprehensive base about the implications of the built environment for incorporation in future planning and design. The evidence-based design approach was used based on the extraction and analysis of published research from JSTOR, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus through single and combined keyword searches, like the evidence-based design; architecture and health; impacts of layouts; social capital; healing environment; stress reduction; social support; views of nature; daylighting; urban planning and health etc. The data was analysed for different levels of evidence, and only those studies having excellent, good, and fair levels of evidence were included. The results were broadly categorised into two levels: the macro-level (urban and regional planning) and the micro-level (architectural level). The results of this study may improve the existing and future planning and design.