Conversation: Design Cities to Counter Loneliness

Residents in the world’s wealthiest countries, including cosmopolitan centers complain about loneliness. The condition has health consequences, especially for the elderly. Community infrastructure and architecture can encourage or discourage human interactions, and Tanzil Shafique suggests that “architects and planners, albeit unwittingly, are complicit in producing an urban landscape that contributes to an unhealthy mental landscape.” He challenges his students to think about connections when designing transportation, landscapes, structures and other spaces, and the essay lists many ideas including comfort in furniture and spaces, anything that encourages social interactions and conversation: volunteering and programs that match volunteers, shared pets and gardens, access to books and literature, discounts for agreeing to dine or travel in groups. Shafique concludes, “Moving beyond merely analysing the problems, the research output shows that an alternative, less lonely future is indeed possible.” – YaleGlobal