Architects must help tackle Australia’s obesity epidemic and start designing fitness-friendly cities, according to a new national design guide.
The idea that architecture can be bad for your health was discussed at the Built Environment Meets Parliament summit this week, which also saw the launch of Healthy Spaces and Places, a national planning guide for creating sustainable, healthy communities.
Architects can help in the fight against elasticated trousers by designing cities that encourage casual exercise, according to the guide prepared by the Planning Institute of Australia, along with the Heart Foundation and the Australian Local Government Association.
The urban structure should include mixed land uses, high levels of amenity and a choice of destinations to encourage walking and cycling. There should be high levels of connectivity, a grid network and off-road pedestrian and cycle networks, over an optimum 400 metre mixed-use area.
Neighbourhoods should be designed for everyone, with towns and cities being safe and accessible for people regardless of age, ability or income, with a suitable range of facilities.
Public space must avoid being an afterthought in urban design, the guide says. Successful public space is welcoming, varied and accessible, encouraging people to play sport and spend time outdoors.
Mixed density housing can support improved public transport, increased opportunity for private investment, development near transit centres and mixed land use. High density housing can make driving more hassle than walking, so people become more active as the path of least resistance, known as the ‘eco-slob’ effect.
Street and place design that aims to reduce crime through good sightlines, lighting, active frontages, public open space, car parks and street crossings, can enhance the physical, mental and social wellbeing of a community, the report says.
