| In 2014 and for the first time in history, the global urban population had surpassed the global rural population. By 2050 two-thirds of the global population is projected to live in urban environments. Research on this rapidly growing trend has shown that urbanization has a negative effect on our mental and physical health. Within the past decades, researchers have examined urban living and have found that city dwellers have a 21% increased risk of anxiety disorders, a 39% increased risk of mood disorders, schizophrenia is twice as common for people born and raised in cities, and city dwellers were also shown to have over active amygdalas, which affect anxiety and depression. More than just mentally, urbanization has an impact on physical health. Exposure to city pollutants may lead to respiratory disorders, lung damage, visual impairment, poor learning ability, cancer, etc. While our built environment is growing, our natural environment is shrinking, which is a large issue because exposure to nature reduces these urban health risks. Researchers are currently trying to determine how to measure a "dose" of nature for this very problem.;Nature has been shown to have opposing effects. A natural environment promotes health and wellbeing. Researchers on the topic have found that nature reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. It also restores mental clarity and can improve cognitive functioning. Nature supports psychological restoration as well as learning and personal development. It can also provide a sense of meaning and purpose.;This thesis will explore these effects in order to design a new type of urban center, which will include an indoor park, under Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. By using natural elements to mimic a rural environment and focusing on the transition into the park, city dwellers will have a unique experience that can assist in easing the symptoms of urbanization. |
