Infrastructure and health: the salutogenic approach, interdisciplinarity and new challenges for planning and design

Agnès Patuano,Ralitsa Shentova,Ana Aceska

doi:10.1108/ijmpb-09-2021-0237

Agnès Patuano, Ralitsa Shentova + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1108/ijmpb-09-2021-0237

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Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the article is to present some preliminary findings and discussions points from a symposium on Public Outdoor Spaces and COVID-19 organised in Wageningen, The Netherlands, in June 2021.Design/methodology/approachThe article argues for a salutogenic perspective on infrastructure planning and design, dealing with the interplay between the ideas and practices of infrastructure planning and design and the outcomes of those ideas and practices for health.FindingsWithin that perspective, the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is seen as an opportunity to revive the importance of infrastructure in promoting health and well-being.Originality/valueThe salutogenic approach adds a much-needed new perspective on infrastructure planning and design, and also involves challenges both in research and practice, for the application of holistic principles to the design of new environments.

Highlights

In the last few years, construction projects and their management have faced criticism for their lack of attention to projects’ non-financial benefits and social performance (Caron et al, 2020; Goel et al, 2020)
With the aim to contribute to this ongoing conversation, in this paper we argue for the salutogenic approach to infrastructure design – an approach that introduces health outcomes into the interdisciplinary theories and practices of infrastructure planning and design
We explore the salutogenic approach applied to infrastructure design, focussing on the contribution of green infrastructure, before tackling the topic of the COVID-19 crisis and the role played by infrastructure in this context

Summary

Introduction

In the last few years, construction projects and their management have faced criticism for their lack of attention to projects’ non-financial benefits and social performance (Caron et al, 2020; Goel et al, 2020). Many thanks to Sjerp de Vries and Jana Verboom for their support and guidance as supervisors of Ralitsa Shentova's master thesis, which was the basis for her contribution to this paper and the symposium.

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

Findings

Conclusion