Interactive urban landscapes for well-being and sustainability

More than fifty per cent of the world’s population now lives in cities and cities contribute significantly to global environmental problems. Urban dwellers both suffer the effects of these problems locally and are well positioned to contribute to solutions (Grimm et al., 2008). Both people’s involvement in environmental stewardship and the results of their efforts have the potential to contribute significantly to human well-being (Kaplan, 2000) and although the majority of people now call a city home, many urban landscapes convey messages that are negative in terms of supporting the well-being of their populations, especially that the city is beyond the control of ordinary citizens. The large fixed structures that dominate these landscapes communicate resistance to change or ‘obduracy’ (Hommels, 2005). In addition, they tend both to limit direct contact with nature and conceal the ecosystem services1 that sustain life (Hough, 2004; Miller, 2005). As such, our urban landscapes are often disempowering, sometimes induce despair and generally represent a missed opportunity for people to play an active role in enhancing their individual well-being, where stewardship, contact with nature, control and respect form underpinning facets of supportive citizen-focused urban centres.