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While certainly not perfect, Vancouver, Canada is often ranked as one of the world's most livable cities with plentiful opportunities for engaged neighbourhood living |
by Mateja Mihinjac
When Greg Saville and I introduced liveability as a central concept of Third Generation CPTED, we did so with a clear question: how can we create a highly liveable neighbourhood to promote opportunities for individual and social well-being? The “neighbourhood”—also a core unit in SafeGrowth—therefore plays a key role in ensuring liveability. It also appears to play a key role in happiness.
There is a mountain of research about the concept of the “neighbourhood” – especially in the urban sociology literature. Social researchers at the University of Chicago began defining neighbourhoods from the perspective of crime prevention as far back as the 1920s. That work continues today under the umbrella of Robert Sampson’s concept “collective efficacy” – at least within the field of criminology.
However, in the urban planning world, the concept of neighbourhood cohesion and liveability is well entrenched as an empirical reality. In 2013, Charles Montgomery published his book "Happy City - Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design” to capture the flavour of a happy and flourishing city. From his view, happiness was more than pleasure – it was how interested and engaged you are in neighbourhood life.
Happiness, it appears, is not just a feeling. It has powerful implications for safety. Our work in SafeGrowth confirms that thesis.
But what of the concept of “happiness”? What defines that?
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Safe public access to beautiful natural scenery and a quiet sunset walk. Many cities limit beachfront and water access for private property owners and thus deprive opportunities for such moments. |
INSIGHTS FROM THE WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT
Every year, the World Happiness Report uses data from the Gallup World Poll, which surveys around 1,000 people in over 140 countries. People are asked to rate how satisfied they are with their lives on a scale from 0 to 10. The survey also includes questions about kindness, generosity (like donating to charity or helping a stranger), and trust (for example, whether someone believes a lost wallet would be returned by a neighbour, a stranger, or the police).
For the seventh year in a row, Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world. What’s behind their success? Researchers point to two main ingredients: generosity and trust.
People in Finland believe they can rely on others and feel connected to their communities. This sense of expected kindness—knowing that those around you will likely help you out—is a powerful driver of happiness.
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Colourful street celebrations, festivals, music, and dance. Plentiful street activities offer opportunities for joy. But that is only one part of the story. Generosity and Trust are key. |
DO HAPPY PEOPLE MAKE SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS?
The World Happiness Report shows that strong social connections are key to our happiness and well-being, and those connections often start in our neighbourhoods.
From our work with SafeGrowth, we’ve seen how important well-designed, healthy, and socially active neighbourhoods are for safety. Things like good housing, walkable streets, local shops, youth activities, clean parks, good lighting, and public art all help create places where people want to spend time and connect with others.
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The public realm is key for happiness. Careful urban design of public spaces matter, like sitting spaces to watch street life. |
Just as important are the relationships people build—what we call social cohesion. When neighbours trust each other and work together, they create safer, more livable communities.
Traditional CPTED focuses on controlling the physical environment to reduce crime, often through what's known as “crime opportunity theory.” But we believe something is missing in that approach: the opportunity for people to build positive, supportive relationships and enjoy a high quality of life.
It’s not just about eliminating crime opportunities – it’s about creating opportunities for people to choose a better path forward. It’s not just about reducing crime—it's about creating the conditions for a good life. This is a kind of “livability opportunity theory”. And that begins right in the neighbourhood.