Mental health condition of residents in the urban environment. Conceptualisation of research problems and search for architectural solutions

Łukasz Mazur

doi:10.5277/arc170208

Abstract

Life in contemporary urban environment is gaining more and more momentum, and days seem too short to execute in a hurry everything that we have planned. City dwellers are exposed to the effects of various negative factors, such as: poor air quality, noise, stress, traffic jams and the problems with communication in the city, urban infrastructure failure, local overpopulation, anonymity, social pathologies. Negative factors in residential environment make cities a more problematic place to live, and the residents show a higher probability of exposure to mental problems than the population in rural areas. The aim of the work is to discuss the negative factors of life city dwellers on the example of Wrocław and finding answers to the question of wheather the negative influences of city life can affect the mental health of the inhabitants.