The Urban Land Institute recently released its report titled Ten Principles for Building Healthy Places. Recognizing that physical design impacts mental and physical well-being, the Institute worked with health care, architecture, planning, development, and finance experts to identify 10 principles for developing communities that support healthy lifestyles. They are:
- Put People First, because people are more likely to be active in a community designed with a human, not automobile, in mind;
- Recognize the Economic Value of Healthy Places, because studies show consumers of all ages want to live in walkable communities;
- Empower Champions for Health, by cultivating community leaders who promote the concept of healthy places;
- Energize Shared Spaces, to encourage “serendipitous social interaction”;
- Make Healthy Choices Easy, by removing physical barriers to an active lifestyle;
- Ensure Equitable Access, as certain groups (such as children, seniors on fixed incomes, and people with disabilities) often have limited access to services, amenities, and opportunities associated with healthy lifestyles;
- Mix It Up, because mixed-use developments promote walking;
- Embrace Unique Character, because unique communities are cohesive communities, and cohesive communities have better health;
- Promote Access to Healthy Food, because building healthy communities starts with physical access to nutritious food; and
- Make It Active, by considering how physical design can make regular exercise attractive and easy.
