True health doesn’t start in hospitals – it starts in our neighbourhoods. In fact, our wellbeing is largely shaped outside the clinical space by factors such as our environment, behaviours and social circumstances
As urban populations continue to grow, we can no longer afford to treat public health as an afterthought when planning our cities.
By embedding health promotion directly into urban planning, we can transform growing cities into vibrant spaces that actively promote health, reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of life.
We understand urban planning and health as two closely related concepts:
health as a tool for planning, and the city as a tool for health.
That’s why we combine theory with practice, placing the health and wellbeing of
individuals at the centre of urban policies and projects in cities all over the world.
Knowledge
Reserch & Training
Expert research, stakeholder training and policy-making that turn health evidence into urban action.
Analysis
Data & Evidence
Cutting-edge health impact evaluations using our digital tool to analyse existing areas and improve urban plans.
Strategy
Design & Action
End-to-end urban planning strategies, from initial design to citizen engagement, focused on creating healthy communities.
We know that the urban environment can help or hinder health – however, despite growing scientific evidence, health is often left out of the urban planning conversation.
At Healthy Cities, we’ve developed a model to change this. Our multidisciplinary team helps cities to put health at the heart of urban planning. Through urban planning practice, research and strategy we shape the built environment to help people live healthier lives. Our innovative healthy planning tool, the Healthy Cities Generator, makes integrating planning into health simple.
Our work is built on the latest research showing how the urban environment can impact mental, physical, and environmental health outcomes.
Healthy Cities Generator
While our operations are centered in Barcelona, our methodology is designed for global application. We work alongside a network of partners to adapt our approach to different urban contexts.
