Research note: View from the top: Apartment residents’ views of nature and mental wellbeing during lockdown

Abstract

Australia’s capital cities have experienced a rapid increase in apartment development over the past decade. The mental wellbeing of apartment residents could be more vulnerable to COVID-19 restrictions due to the unique constraints of apartment buildings and limited access to nature. We examined the relationship between residents’ self-reported view components and wellbeing after Australia’s national six-week lockdown. Residents’ (n = 192) wellbeing, measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, deteriorated between baseline and follow-up (p < 0.001); however, views of nature appeared to be protective. Residents with views comprising ≥ 25 % of natural features had significantly higher wellbeing scores than those with views below 25 % (p = 0.016). Results support the notion that a minimum level of visible nature is necessary to promote mental wellbeing in apartment residents. However, relatively few participants lived in apartments where ≥ 25 % of the view comprised natural elements, highlighting the need for interventions that better balance density with nature in urban environments.