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

Happy Cities is an urban planning, research, and engagement firm based in Vancouver and Halifax. We work with cities, developers, and non-profits around the world to design public spaces, streets, and housing that nurture wellbeing for all community members.

Featured
Our Urban Village Cohousing
Our Urban Village Cohousing

An cohousing project offers a promising, missing middle solution to Vancouver’s housing and social isolation crises.

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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
The case for social infrastructure
Research
The case for social infrastructure
Research

Social spaces and networks create an essential foundation for healthy, resilient communities. But they’re hard to measure.

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Research
Movie nights, picnics, and art: How Surrey, BC is creating safer public spaces
Placemaking, Community engagement
Movie nights, picnics, and art: How Surrey, BC is creating safer public spaces
Placemaking, Community engagement

To create safer neighbourhoods, offer inviting and vibrant places for community members to gather.

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Placemaking, Community engagement
What makes an age-friendly home?
Research, Housing
What makes an age-friendly home?
Research, Housing

Canada’s population is aging. Our homes need to catch up.

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Research, Housing
Low barrier, high impact: The value of community placemaking
Placemaking, Community conversations, Public life studies
Low barrier, high impact: The value of community placemaking
Placemaking, Community conversations, Public life studies

How to measure success of public space transformations.

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Placemaking, Community conversations, Public life studies
The business case for placemaking
Placemaking, Community conversations
The business case for placemaking
Placemaking, Community conversations

To strengthen local economies, create places that people want to spend time in.

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Placemaking, Community conversations
How can placemaking contribute to reconciliation?
Placemaking, Community conversations, Community engagement
How can placemaking contribute to reconciliation?
Placemaking, Community conversations, Community engagement

Indigenous community members are shaping placemaking and urban design projects to share their histories of place and create stronger communities.

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Placemaking, Community conversations, Community engagement

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.