• Two children gleefully run with a kite on a sunny park pathway, with trees and a fountain in the background.

    We create healthier, happier, more inclusive communities.

  • Students paint a colorful geometric mural on a curb as a car passes by.

    Youth-led placemaking for safer streets

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  • Photo from behind showing a teenage boy taking a photo on a smartphone of his friends who are sitting on benches in a public space

    Deep engagement to understand walkability

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  • A conceptual rendering of a modern white house with a gabled roof inserted into an urban street scene next to traditional buildings.

    Design principles for happy homes

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What we do

The image displays a stylized graphic of a person riding a bicycle in an urban environment. The rider has a baguette and what looks like leaves of corn in the basket. There are simplistic representations of buildings in the background with trees.

Planning

The image shows a colourful illustration with two adults sitting at a bench—one holding a flower, the other reaching out—while two children play with geometric shapes. It suggests a community or family setting, focused on interaction and play.

Design

The image portrays a cross-section of a house with solar panels on the roof, indicating a focus on sustainability. Inside, we see various individuals engaged in different activities: a family with a child, and a woman tending to plants.

Housing

The image shows two people seated at an outdoor table under a striped awning, engaged in conversation, indicated by speech bubbles. One person is in a wheelchair, suggesting an inclusive setting. The graphic has a simple and clean design.

Engagement

Turning evidence into action

Based in Vancouver and Halifax, we work with cities, developers, and non-profits around the world to maximize the wellbeing impact of public spaces, streets, infrastructure, and housing.

Featured
North Vancouver active design study
North Vancouver active design study

Happy Cities, Hey Neighbour Collective, and SFU evaluated the impact of the City of North Vancouver’s Active Design Guidelines, uncovering valuable insights for promoting social connection in multi-unit housing.

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Power of placemaking research and engagement
Power of placemaking research and engagement

Exploring the role that placemaking plays in supporting community wellbeing, with the Healthy Communities Initiative and Canadian Urban Institute.

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Regina accessibility plan
Regina accessibility plan

Happy Cities and Meaningful Access Consulting worked with the City of Regina to create an Accessibility Plan, to ensure that everyone can participate fully in community life.

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"Happy Cities was a dream to work with. The quality of research, analysis, written submissions and field work was consistently high. A true partner in our ambitious active transportation pursuits!"

Lisa Leblanc, Director of Engineering, City of New Westminster

Featured stories

Stories
Placemaking builds trust. Here’s why cities should invest in it
Placemaking
Placemaking builds trust. Here’s why cities should invest in it
Placemaking

When people take an active role in shaping their community, they build social connections and trust—with one another, and with local government.

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Placemaking
How cohousing builds support across generations
Community Housing
How cohousing builds support across generations
Community Housing

Cohousing communities reveal the benefits of supportive, multigenerational neighbours—showing that apartment living doesn’t have to be lonely or isolating.

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Community Housing
Can our homes make us less lonely?
Research
Can our homes make us less lonely?
Research

Three ways to design multi-unit housing for social connection, happiness, and health.

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Research
Does density hurt happiness?
Research
Does density hurt happiness?
Research

Our new study says no.

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Research
10 years of Happy City: Our readers' stories
10 years of Happy City: Our readers' stories

It's been 10 years since the publication of the book Happy City, by Charles Montgomery. Our readers share how the book influenced their career and life journeys.

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Placemaking is like a box of chocolates
Placemaking, Research
Placemaking is like a box of chocolates
Placemaking, Research

The power of benches and seating to connect strangers.

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Placemaking, Research

We’ve built trust with clients around the world

Colour photograph of the Happy Cities book on a table.

Read the book that started it all

Explore the intersection between urban design and the emerging science of happiness, with stops in some of the world’s most dynamic cities.