Abstract:
With the rapidly accelerated pace of life today, more than 70% of people suffer from sub-optimal mental health,1 a crisis that is concealed in urban living. According to the 2016/2017 New Zealand Health Survey, over 10% of New Zealand adults have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders.2 Research suggests there may be many more undiagnosed as well. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most common anxiety disorders in the general population. Research indicates that 12% of the population will suffer from social anxiety at some point in their life.3 Nevertheless, these data reveal that, despite the high prevalence of social anxiety disorder, many people and most of the patients passively ignore social anxiety. This thesis investigates how architecture in the city can help those who suffer from social anxiety disorder (and other related introversion affliections) by addressing and mitigating sources of social anxiety in everyday urban life. I propose a series of urban ‘Pods’ and self-healing spaces with biophilic design elements that may relieve social anxiety and maintain mental wellbeing. These architectural interventions, combined with cognitive behavioural therapy and complementary therapies, are strategically located within social public and interstitial spaces in the city. It is my intention that this thesis will make a positive contribution to change collective attitudes towards SAD and the way that designers understand and create for all of the cities inhabitants.
