URBANOME: URBAN Observatory for Multi-participatory Enhancement of health and wellbeing

Background

Society in European cities is confronted with many challenges, such as the physical and mental health of the inhabitants, social inequality and an aging population. A number of environmental problems pose an increasing risk for cities, which should be addressed with innovative solutions and the introduction of strategies for a transformation towards sustainable and livable cities.

URBANOME synthesizes environmental, social, and functional characteristics of a city into an integrative analytical framework that facilitates the identification of key determinants of health and well-being in the city. In doing so, it supports the co-design and testing of policies and preventive interventions to improve urban health and well-being through urban living labs.

Objective

The overall goal of URBANOME is to promote health, well-being and livability in cities by systematically integrating health concerns into urban policies and activities of city residents. It is based on detailed and comprehensive knowledge of environmental determinants of health, their spatial distribution in the city, and their impact on different population groups, taking into account different lifestyles and behaviors. Integrating health concerns, environmental impacts, and social equity into public and private activities helps address a variety of urban challenges, particularly strengthening social cohesion and reducing inequalities in health burdens.

In Stuttgart, an Urban Living Lab will be established to design and implement interventions with the aim of promoting health and well-being from the participants' perspective. The aim is to reduce environmental impacts and improve social cohesion in the respective neighborhood. Urban interventions that improve well-being in the city will be assessed in an integrated impact assessment process, taking into account health impacts on environmental impacts, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broad economic impacts.

ZIRIUS is primarily responsible for the conception and implementation of the Urban Living Lab.