Rethinking how built environments influence subjective well-being: a new conceptual framework

Abstract

This paper aims to contribute to understanding the role of the built environment in subjective well-being (SWB). The paper presents a new conceptual framework that integrates and links together: (a) different sets of objective and perceived neighborhood characteristics, (b) different perspectives on SWB – hedonic, life satisfaction, and eudaimonic, and (c) mediating factors that explain how neighborhood characteristics influence SWB. These mediating factors are personal relationships, leisure activities, health, and neighborhood impact on emotions and mood. SWB can be a new powerful tool for planning and designing livable built environments and for evaluating the social sustainability of planning policies.

Keywords:

• Urban planning
• sustainability
• happiness
• livable
• city
• quality of life

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to Petter Næss and Jin Xue whose comments substantially improved this article. For their useful comments, the author would also like to thank Tim Richardson, Marit Ekne Ruud, and Marian Schubert.