In 2020, the City of North Vancouver launched the Open Streets initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program repurposed vehicle lanes into pedestrian-friendly spaces to bolster economic recovery and social connection. Over time, Open Streets have enhanced the public realm, providing additional outdoor areas for neighbors and strangers to connect and socialize.

Campus spaces serve as vibrant hubs for student life, accommodating diverse activities from picnics to concerts. Designing these spaces to support such varied uses enhances their role as central community gathering spots.

In 2021, Halifax's iconic Spring Garden Road underwent a $10-million streetscape reconstruction project, central to the city's identity as a vibrant hub. Happy Cities was commissioned to develop a methodology to assess the project's impact on enhancing people's well-being.

In 2021, the City of New Westminster initiated projects in the Uptown neighborhood to create safe, comfortable, and accessible walking, wheeling, and cycling corridors and public spaces for people of all ages and abilities.

Amid COVID-19's economic strain, Vancouver businesses innovate to ensure safe and comfortable reopening experiences.

Cities can balance pandemic restrictions and outdoor enjoyment by ensuring ample space for activities.

Mexico City boasts two of the world's largest urban parks: Chapultepec and San Juan de Aragon. These expansive parks feature green spaces, lush forests, and various amenities including playgrounds and skate parks, providing residents with ample opportunities for recreation and relaxation.

Public space in Vancouver isn't universally accessible; residents encounter barriers based on identity factors like race, gender, sexual orientation, age, income, and ability. Overlapping identities compound these challenges, affecting access, comfort, and safety in city spaces.

In fall 2018, Vancouver enlisted Happy Cities to evaluate its Pavement-to-Plaza initiative. Over 700 residents were surveyed in September 2018 at transformed plaza sites and control areas. The survey assessed subjective well-being factors like social connection, trust, care for place, and sense of belonging using academically-validated measures.

This question served as inspiration for our experiment in Vancouver, Canada, where we measured the impact of colorful or lush interventions on people's well-being.

This question fueled an experiment conducted by Happy Cities and collaborators, forming our winning entry for the Shore to Core research competition. Organized by the Van Alen Institute and West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, the competition tasked participants with exploring the impact of urban spaces on human well-being and reimagining social well-being in waterfront cities.

Historical studies indicate that street edge design can influence human behavior, attracting or repelling people. But can design ultimately shape how we interact with one another?