Happy Cities and Hey Neighbour Collective offer evidence-based design strategies for improving social connection and health through shared spaces in multi-unit housing.

An innovative policy offers incentives for new housing that supports social connection, health, and inclusion in Port Moody.

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

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.

Happy Cities is spearheading community engagement and conducting design reviews to optimize well-being at Mary Anne’s Place, a forthcoming mixed-use development in Port Moody, BC.

Design strategies and research to support aging in the right place.

Happy Cities and Hey Neighbour Collective worked with five cities and one First Nation to co-create policies for social well-being in multi-unit housing.

The City of Vancouver is addressing the housing needs of seniors with a new Seniors Housing Strategy. To gather community input, they've enlisted Happy Cities to engage adults 55+ and senior-serving organizations in Vancouver.

Brightside Community Homes Foundation is revamping four of its affordable housing sites to better suit resident needs. Our study focused on improving the relocation process to enhance resident well-being.

In response to Metro Vancouver's housing crisis, British Columbia announced new legislation in November 2023. This includes legalizing three to six units per lot province-wide and designating areas near rapid transit stations as "transit-oriented development" zones. Cities in these areas must allow taller residential buildings and eliminate parking minimums.

Amid rural Nova Scotia's population decline, Bridgewater bucks the trend with growth, thanks in part to its cohesive, human-scale town core.

Halifax grapples with a housing crisis exacerbated by low-density, car-centric suburbs lacking transit and public spaces. Happy Cities aims to design a model, transit-oriented, walkable community in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia, offering a sustainable solution for suburban development nationwide.

Temporary modular housing (TMH) offers a rapid, cost-effective solution for homelessness, with over 2,000 units built in British Columbia since 2017. However, prioritizing resident wellbeing is crucial for creating truly safe and supportive homes.

Denser cities offer potential for stronger social networks but also pose challenges like overcrowding and loneliness, especially in multi-unit housing. Effective design and social programs can alleviate these issues and mitigate high living costs.

Multi-family housing complexes are urban hubs. Boosting sociability requires thoughtful design and community engagement, fostering stronger connections.

The location and design of multi-family housing significantly affect local relationships, neighborhood trust, and residents’ sense of belonging, impacting social isolation, a global public health concern in cities.

British Land, the UK’s largest real estate investment trust, is committed to improving wellbeing through its development and placemaking practices. We helped the company to pursue this aspiration through a collaborative program of research, recommendations, site audits and workshops.