As the urban population grows, so does the need for higher quality urban spaces that offer relief from the harshness that unmitigated density can bring. There is no better place to start than with city streets, arguably the most frequented shared space in the urban environment.
Studies show that concerns and pressures in the workplace mean that office and business workers are highly likely to have excessive amounts of stress.
What can we do to help alleviate the stresses of negotiating crowded sidewalks in the central business districts of cities?
This is Wiremu, a 25 year old intern at a law firm.
He is introverted, yet aspires to move up the ranks at work.
This is Craig, a 37 year old office worker at an insurance company.
He is family orientated and a creature of habit, going to his usual cafe for his break everyday.
This is Evelyn, a 45 year old CEO for an accounting firm.
She is high-achieving and likes routine and being organised
Wiremu finds the walk to work stressful as crowded situations require focus and energy that don’t allow him to clear his mind for work.
However, when he has positive interactions with other people on the street it makes him feel less stressed about the crowd and gives him a more enthusiastic mindset.
We need a way to encourage people like Wiremu to interact with others to take their minds off work and stress.
Craig is having a busy day and feels as though he is wasting his time waiting at the traffic lights while on his way to his usual cafe.
Interestingly he thinks his break, and therefore his chance to unwind and de-stress, is the destination, not the walk to it.
We need to provide opportunities for fun that make getting from A to B on city streets entertaining and exciting instead of irritating for people like Craig.
Evelyn is on the way to an important lunch meeting and needs an intervention to elevate her mood and take her mind off the impending situation.
But surprisingly when she encounters something unpredictable and fun she doesn’t want to engage with it as it is outside of her routine.
We need a way to make the benefits of engaging in something humorous, outweigh the stigma that fun is unprofessional to make the city streets more refreshing for people like Evelyn.
How might we facilitate humour on city streets to encourage unexpected and fun moments of connection that reduce stress?
De-stress me
Connect me
Challenge me
Entertain me
Immerse me
Unwind me
Improve my well-being
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