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. 2007 Sep 1;50(3):234-245.
doi: 10.3763/asre.2007.5029. Epub 2011 Jun 9.

Identifying Streetscape Features Significant to Well-Being

Arnold R Spokane  1 , Joanna L Lombard, Frank Martinez, Craig A Mason, Deborah Gorman-Smith, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Scott C Brown, Tatiana Perrino, José Szapocznik
Affiliations

Identifying Streetscape Features Significant to Well-Being

Arnold R Spokane et al. Archit Sci Rev. .

Abstract

To determine effective relationships between the built environment and health and well-being, a transdisciplinary team of architectural, behavioral and health scientists developed a built environment coding system (UMBECS). They examined the relationship of resulting streetscape features to health and well-being at the block level. The research team conducted studies of the validity of UMBECS focusing on children through school conduct and grades, and on elders through a longitudinal cognitive functioning study. For children, contrary to popularly held views, commercial-residential mix was as effective as a high proportion of residential use in predicting children's school outcomes (i.e., better conduct, achievement, effort, and grades). For elders, modest but statistically significant relationships existed between block-level features, elders' neighboring behaviors, and social support, which in turn were significantly associated with cognitive and affective functioning. These findings suggest the utility of this built environment coding system for examining the relationship of built environment features to residents' health and well-being. UMBECS offers a useful tool for developing a viable transdisciplinary model of the role of the built environment in behavioral and health outcomes.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Platted block.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Streetscape block.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Photographs of two streetscape blocks in East Little Havana, Miami.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Training manual illustrations on porches.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Built environment diversity of use by block-type (adapted from Szapocznik et al., 2006).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Youth conduct grades, by built-environment use block-type and gender (from Szapocznik et al., 2006).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Conduct grades by proportion commercial residential frontage, gender, and by year in school.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Conceptual model of the relationship of the built environment to elders’ neighborhood climate, social support, cognitive problems, and psychological distress (adapted from Szapocznik et al., 2007).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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