Rethinking Cities for Health and Mobility: What New Urban Models Can Teach Us

Urban environments have a profound influence on health, mobility and quality of life. Over the past decade, researchers and urban planners have increasingly questioned whether cities designed around private car use are compatible with healthier and more sustainable societies.

A Spanish-language article published in 2021 by Instituto de Salud Global Barcelona (ISGlobal), during the COVID-19 pandemic, explored how the crisis accelerated discussions about new urban models prioritising people rather than vehicles. The article was based on the scientific study by Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen (2021) on post-COVID urban models for more sustainable, liveable and healthier cities.

Although written in the context of the pandemic, the reflections remain highly relevant today. For the HORUS community, they offer a useful opportunity to revisit how urban planning can contribute to healthier environments.

From car-centred to people-centred cities

Throughout much of the 20th century, urban planning prioritised motorised transport. Streets and public spaces were often designed to accommodate cars rather than people.

However, this model has significant consequences. High levels of traffic contribute to air pollution, noise and sedentary lifestyles, all of which are linked to major public health risks. In some European cities, these factors contribute to thousands of premature deaths each year.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many cities temporarily reallocated space from cars to pedestrians and cyclists, expanding bike lanes and pedestrian areas. These interventions demonstrated that urban environments can change quickly when public health becomes a priority.

Emerging urban models

Several innovative concepts have been introduced in cities around the world to rethink how urban space is organised.

Superblocks – Barcelona
Superblocks reorganise groups of city blocks to restrict through-traffic and create quieter, greener streets prioritising pedestrians, cyclists and public space.

Low-traffic neighbourhoods – London
These neighbourhoods use simple interventions such as bollards, planters or cameras to limit through-traffic while maintaining access for residents, creating safer streets for walking and cycling.

The 15-minute city – Paris
This model promotes neighbourhoods where essential services such as work, education, shops and leisure activities can be reached within a short walk or bike ride.

Car-free districts – Freiburg and Hamburg
Some cities are experimenting with neighbourhoods where private car use is heavily restricted, encouraging active mobility and public transport instead.

Shared principles for healthier cities

Despite their different approaches, these models share several key principles:

• reducing dependence on private motorised transport

• promoting active mobility such as walking and cycling

• lowering air pollution and noise exposure

• increasing green space and urban nature

• encouraging daily physical activity

Urban design plays a critical role in shaping everyday behaviours. Walkable neighbourhoods, safe cycling networks and access to local services make it easier for residents to incorporate physical activity into daily routines. Access to green spaces is also associated with improved mental health, cognitive functioning and overall wellbeing.

A systems perspective on urban health

Cities are complex systems where transport, housing, environment and health interact. Addressing these challenges requires integrated and cross-sectoral approaches that simultaneously consider sustainability, liveability, equity and public health.

Tools such as health impact assessments can help ensure that urban planning decisions contribute to healthier outcomes for communities.

Lessons beyond the pandemic

Although the original discussion emerged during the COVID-19 crisis, its lessons remain relevant. The pandemic showed that cities can adapt quickly and experiment with new mobility patterns and public space uses.

These experiences offer valuable insights for future urban planning strategies aimed at improving both environmental sustainability and population health.

For projects such as HORUS – Urban Health, these ideas highlight the importance of understanding how urban environments shape health behaviours and how cities can be redesigned to support healthier lives.

 

 

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Scientific reference

Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J. (2021).
New urban models for more sustainable, liveable and healthier cities post-COVID-19: reducing air pollution, noise and heat island effects and increasing green space and physical activity.
Environment International.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106850