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.

Happy Cities led engagement with adults 55+ and senior-serving organizations in Vancouver, for the City’s new Seniors Housing Strategy.

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.

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 is designing 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.