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Research on Health, Wellbeing and Urban Design
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Research on Health, Wellbeing and Urban Design

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 4170

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wei-Ling Hsu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Jiaying University, Meizhou 514015, China
Interests: environmental science; building information modelling; urban and regional planning science; MCDM; construction management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Kuo-Shun Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Air Transportation, Kainan University, No.1 Kainan Road, Luzhu District, Taoyuan City 33857, Taiwan
Interests: smart buildings; Internet of Things; construction management
Prof. Dr. Hsin-Lung Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Institute Service Industries and Management, Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Hsinchu 30401, Taiwan
Interests: fuzzy theory; construction management; project management; transportation management; investment decision analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urbanization is rapidly transforming our world, with over half of the global population now residing in cities—a number expected to reach 70% by 2050. Investments in health-based urban planning create enduring legacies for human wellbeing. By designing cities prioritizing health, we ensure better living conditions for current and future generations. Urban design directly impacts air quality, which profoundly affects respiratory health. Thoughtful planning can reduce pollution and enhance overall wellness. City planning intersects with population health. Researchers emphasize the need to address health disparities, physical activity, and access to green spaces. Urban design interventions can yield immediate health benefits, making them essential for sustainable cities. In summary, research on health, well-being, and urban design is not merely an academic pursuit—it shapes our cities, influences our health, and ensures a sustainable future.

We must therefore consider the impact of smart transportation systems, waste management, and energy grids on health and well-being. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Holistic Assessment of Urban Health and Well-being:

The holistic assessment of urban health and well-being. We encourage interdisciplinary research integrating urban planning, public health, and social sciences. By assessing factors like air quality, green spaces, walkability, social cohesion, and access to healthcare facilities, we can identify areas for improvement and shape a healthier urban future.

  1. Green Building Practices:

Explore sustainable building materials, energy-efficient designs, and strategies for minimizing environmental impact in urban areas. Investigate using green roofs, vertical gardens, and passive design principles to enhance well-being and reduce pollution.

  1. Smart Cities and Urban Technology:

Another critical area of interest is the analysis of how smart city technologies, such as IoT sensors, data analytics, and automation, can significantly improve urban living conditions. We encourage researchers to delve into this field and share their insights.

Topics of Interest

  • Urban ecological infrastructure optimization;
  • Spatial spillover effects in water management;
  • Village homestead improvement potential;
  • Rural housing governance and sustainability;
  • Urban polycentricity and carbon performance;
  • Resilience and sustainability in healthy cities;
  • Green building market dynamics;
  • Integrating health and well-being in urban design;
  • Digital technology for rural security transformation;
  • Historic and cultural district revitalization;
  • Holistic assessment of urban health and well-being in smart cities.

Prof. Dr. Wei-Ling Hsu
Dr. Kuo-Shun Sun
Prof. Dr. Hsin-Lung Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban ecological infrastructure
  • spatial spillover
  • village revitalization
  • rural housing
  • polycentricity
  • carbon footprint
  • resilience
  • sustainability
  • green buildings digital technologies
  • historic districts
  • urban health
  • smart cities

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 2875 KiB  
Article
Aesthetic Appreciation Is Different: Aesthetic Pleasure in Architectural Aesthetics
by Lei Pei and Zihao Cao
Buildings 2025, 15(4), 543; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040543 - 11 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1078
Abstract
Architectural aesthetics is often studied with a focus on the visual properties of buildings, yet the role of individual aesthetic appreciation abilities in shaping aesthetic pleasure remains overlooked. This study challenges the traditional object-centric perspective by investigating how aesthetic appreciation ability influences architectural [...] Read more.
Architectural aesthetics is often studied with a focus on the visual properties of buildings, yet the role of individual aesthetic appreciation abilities in shaping aesthetic pleasure remains overlooked. This study challenges the traditional object-centric perspective by investigating how aesthetic appreciation ability influences architectural aesthetic pleasure through aesthetic judgment. Using Hui-style architecture, a distinctive architectural style originating from the Huizhou region in southern China, as the representative case, a questionnaire survey was conducted with 453 participants. Regression analysis was applied to examine the moderating effects of aesthetic judgment (variety, unity, novelty, and typicality) on the relationship between aesthetic appreciation ability and aesthetic pleasure. The results reveal that individuals with high aesthetic appreciation ability experience greater aesthetic pleasure when exposed to diverse and novel architectural elements. In contrast, those with low aesthetic appreciation ability respond primarily to novelty, showing limited sensitivity to other aesthetic judgments. These findings highlight the nuanced interplay between personal aesthetic capacities and architectural experience, offering valuable insights for artists, architects, and educators seeking to cater to diverse aesthetic preferences and enhance public engagement with architectural beauty. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Health, Wellbeing and Urban Design)
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28 pages, 16277 KiB  
Article
Urban Spatial Naturalness Degree in the Planning of Ultra-High-Density Cities: The Case of Urban Green Open Spaces in Macau
by Jitai Li, Fan Lin, Hongcan Cui, Shuai Yang and Yile Chen
Buildings 2025, 15(2), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15020206 - 11 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1303
Abstract
This study deeply examines the livable environment in high-density cities like Macau, focusing on urban green spaces. The study introduces the “urban spatial naturalness degree” indicator, exploring its application with urban population growth and green space expansion. The research utilizes the planning indicator [...] Read more.
This study deeply examines the livable environment in high-density cities like Macau, focusing on urban green spaces. The study introduces the “urban spatial naturalness degree” indicator, exploring its application with urban population growth and green space expansion. The research utilizes the planning indicator of “urban spatial naturalness degree”, and then explores the application paradigm of matching increments between urban population growth and green open space and a bottom-line planning indicator suitable for Macau. Among them, the “USND” indicator is defined as “the visual perception rate of blue and green natural elements in the three-dimensional space of urban land”, which is specifically expressed as “the average function of the occupation rate of urban green open space and the visibility rate of blue–green space of main street scenes”. Based on this, this paper estimates the incremental planning indicators of green open space in Macau and various urban areas during the implementation of the Master Plan of Macau (2020–2040). The results show the following: (1) The study found that the land increment in green open space in Macau basically matches the potential of reserve resources. (2) For Class I and Class II urban areas in Macau, the USND value is estimated to be 42.96% and 32.62% in 2040, respectively. These values are expected to reach the international excellent level. (3) For Class III and Class IV urban areas, the USND values could reach 20.14% and 15.14%, respectively, which are considered to be at the international middle level in 2040. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Health, Wellbeing and Urban Design)
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22 pages, 1047 KiB  
Article
Examining the Impacts of House Prices on Self-Rated Health of Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-Being
by Min Wang, Zixuan Tan, Ruying Chen and Xuefang Zhuang
Buildings 2025, 15(1), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15010053 - 27 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 698
Abstract
As the global aging trend increases, older adults are placing greater emphasis on their health. Evidence indicates that there is a complex association between house prices and older adults’ health, with their subjective well-being potentially acting as a mediator in this connection. A [...] Read more.
As the global aging trend increases, older adults are placing greater emphasis on their health. Evidence indicates that there is a complex association between house prices and older adults’ health, with their subjective well-being potentially acting as a mediator in this connection. A mediation model, utilizing data from China’s 2018 Labor Dynamics Survey, was employed to examine the impact pathway of house prices, subjective well-being, and self-rated health, while investigating the differences between young-old and old-old groups. The major findings are as follows: (1) House prices negatively affected self-rated health among the older adults. (2) The subjective well-being of older adults mediated the pathway through which house prices affected their self-rated health. (3) For old-old adults, higher house prices were more strongly linked to an increased likelihood of reporting good, very good, or excellent health. Subjective well-being was more significantly associated with reporting better health among the young-old group. Compared with the young-old population, the impact of house prices on self-rated health was stronger among the old-old, and the degree increased with increasing age. Consequently, to improve older adults’ well-being and self-rated health, effective healthy-aging policies should not only consider the influence of the real estate market, but also balance the allocation of elderly service facilities, promote affordable housing, and implement a combination of medical and nursing care from the perspective of urban planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Health, Wellbeing and Urban Design)
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