“I'm always entirely happy when I'm here!” Urban blue enhancing human health and well-being in Cologne and Düsseldorf, Germany

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) 2013-02, Vol.78, p.113-124
• Main Authors: Völker, Sebastian, Kistemann, Thomas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attachment; Biological and medical sciences; Cities; City Planning; Emotions; Environment Design; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental health; Federal Republic of Germany; Female; Germany; Happiness; Health; Health care; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Leisure; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Personal Satisfaction; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Qualitative Research; Quality of Life - psychology; Rivers; Surveys and Questionnaires; Therapeutic landscape; Urban Areas; Urban blue; Urban Health; Urban planning; Water and health; Water Supply; Well Being; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.09.047

Water is one of the most important landscape elements. In settled areas, planners rediscovered urban blue in the form of rivers as a soft location factor in post-industrial times. Although the recognition of the need for recreational or ‘healthy’ places like urban green or urban blue in cities is increasing, current urban planning is mostly conducted without taking beneficial health issues into account. In this paper an extended concept of therapeutic landscapes is used to analyse two promenades on the river Rhine in the centres of two German cities (Cologne and Düsseldorf). A complex of qualitative and quantitative methods from diverse disciplines is applied to obtain a multi-dimensional image of salutogenic health processes. The results show that the promenades are favourite places to spend leisure time and to engage in recreational activities, in addition to providing restoration from everyday stresses. Water is a strong predictor of preference and positive perceptive experiences in urban environments. Users of the promenades also report strong emotional attachments to the place. Urban blue space may be interpreted as a therapeutic landscape in various ways. The study forms a contribution to planning issues, particularly considering benefits for human health, and enhances current research concerning therapeutic landscapes. ► The first study to comprehensively explore the beneficial health outcomes and well-being of urban blue. ► Using an extended therapeutic landscape concept, we observed and questioned users of promenades in city centres. ► Positive health aspects distinctly prevail over negative outcomes. ► Key aspects for health are the physical environment, social relationships, emotional attachment and the possibility to engage in a variety of outdoor activities.