Enhancing children’s play in high-density urban environments: A systematic review of current insights

March 29, 2026

High-density urban environments significantly affect children’s play and well-being. This study provides current insights and explores potential solutions for enhancing play spaces in compact cities, aiming to promote a healthier and more sustainable urban future for children. Our goal was to synthesize current knowledge and provide guidance for improving play spaces in compact cities, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and liveable urban environments for children.

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Factors influencing playspace quality in Melbourne’s greenfield developments, Australia

March 28, 2026

We recognised that while playspaces are crucial for child development and community building, their quality in Melbourne’s greenfield developments is highly inconsistent. Playspaces often suffer from minimal design guidance, maintenance pressures, risk aversion, and a lack of genuine community engagement. As a result, children and families miss out on vibrant, inclusive, and challenging play environments. We saw an urgent need to understand how governance structures influence playspace design and delivery in these rapidly growing communities.

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Navigating autism in public transport: WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework to investigate the spatial and physical barriers

March 17, 2026

Among the factors impacting functioning and quality of life in autism, aspects of the built environment have recently gained increasing attention. However, the opportunity of proposing a universal framework for cross-scalar examination of these factors remains largely unrealized.
By narrowing the focus to public transport, a key component of urban spatial structure and urban mobility, this study explores the applicability of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) in examining the built environmental factors that influence autism.

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Huge crowd and its shadows

Walkability for all in our cities

March 17, 2026

To work for the Right to Walk the City is to advocate for health and social justice. Public Health as a multidisciplinary action is fundamental to achieve that goal. The ‘15-minute city’ model exemplifies this approach but remains hindered by barriers such as inadequate infrastructure and social discrimination, limiting walkability for underserved communities.

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Biophilic design for walkable streets: Health-centred insights for urban action

March 17, 2026

How can we design walkable streets that promote health through nature?
This scoping review synthesises international and cross-cultural research—drawing from English and Chinese studies—to clarify intervention types and health mechanisms, offering an essential evidence base for healthier, more connected urban environments. Our findings reframe streets as inclusive, restorative spaces for health—not just transport infrastructure.

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Designing and implementing nature-based intervention, for the health of our community

February 11, 2026

Do we have the potential to combat childhood obesity rates with nature based programs? How does the design of community-based programming play a role?
Our study, analyzing 4,010 articles, reveals nature-based interventions promote healthy living. Focusing on community engagement and program gaps, our research highlights innovative strategies for healthier children. A collaborative approach offers new hope in addressing this global health challenge.

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