Environ(mental) Architecture: How Architecture Shapes Our Mental Health Through the Use of Public Space

Abstract

This thesis examines the potential of architecture to improve mental health through the design of public space. To determine the programmatic needs of a site, this document uses a human perception framework to analyze the existing street conditions. This creates a built environment that allows for improved mental well-being of the public through positive social interactions. By implementing a design tool kit, this project aims to support the architectural process of creating public space that promotes positive well-being in an urban community. This examination will be three-fold: through human-focused design rather than object-making design, the restorative benefits through the integration of nature, and the sensorial qualities of architecture in its material and formal composition. This research develops a programmatic system that promotes positive social interaction through the design of a public square in Halifax, Nova Scotia.