ABSTRACT
Associations have been established between urban design and recovery benefits, including physical and mental health enhancement. However, the extensive range of variables involved in research and the lack of a coherent framework for understanding the effects of urban design on recovery may pose barriers for designers and policymakers, impeding their ability to translate knowledge into practices and policies aimed at fostering recovery. This chapter aims to build a conceptual framework through an exploration of literature and practices, revealing the key strategies of multi-scale urban design for fostering recovery and the potential pathways, including exposures, behaviour, and personal connection. To support recovery at a macro scale, urban design should promote the diversity and accessibility of destinations and mitigate the effects of environmental stressors. At a micro scale, urban design should focus on place functionality to enhance active space usage and incorporate elements that contribute to enhanced perceived safety, mood states, and perceived restorativeness. Practices in Barcelona, Spain, and Copenhagen, Denmark, are presented as examples of using multi-scale urban design strategies to facilitate recovery. The framework also offers implications for future research, practice, and policymaking.
