Urbanization, housing, and inclusive design for all? A community-based participatory research investigation of the health implications of high-rise environments for adolescents

Abstract

Increasing numbers of families are living in high-rise residences and densified areas of urban centres due to ongoing urbanization. A better understanding of how these environments impact the health of residents is of growing importance for planners and public health practitioners alike. Yet knowledge of the links between high-rise living and specific cohorts like adolescents is lacking. Moreover, youth perspectives are typically ignored in urban planning and building design practices. To address these issues, the present paper employs a community-based participatory research (CBRP) approach that is paired with the Theory of Affordances to investigate how adolescents (n = 22) in two Canadian cities perceive high-rise living and dense environments to impact their mental and physical health. Data was collected between July and December 2023 through geo-tracked, participant-led ‘go-along’ (i.e., walking) interviews (40–120 min) roughly 1 km in length. Inductive thematic analyses supported by an analysis of the captured photos were completed. Noted positive affordances related to high local activity density, rich pedestrian social landscapes, restorative designs, and linkages between built and social environments. Negative affordance themes included poor social control and vitality, risky design legibility, signs of decay, and passive or limited active use designs. Future study is recommended to explore relational, or culturally/socially important public places or designs, and length of residence aspects of the relationship between high-rise living and adolescent health. Implications for design and health practitioners are discussed.