Fighting the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’ in Cities

While urban design alone can’t mend the tears in our social fabric, planning decisions and thoughtful, inclusive design can offer or hinder opportunities for interaction.

2 minute read

December 17, 2023, 11:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Low angel shot of three people with four dogs in enclosed grassy dog park.

Adobe Stock - Enadan / People with dogs in park.

Writing in Bloomberg CityLab, Linda Poon describes a new book by Andy Field titled Encounterism: The Neglected Joys of Being In Person that highlights the importance of interactions with strangers. “The mental health benefits of even the briefest of conversations can add up, according to Field.”

According to surveys, the “loneliness epidemic” is affecting groups differently: younger people and those over the age of 50 are most likely to report feeling lonely and not interacting with many people outside their home, while “People with lower incomes and members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups are more likely to be lonely.”

Field attributes the rise in loneliness to “a constellation of design decisions that ignore the value of social connections” in favor of convenience—and, during the pandemic, public health—such as self-checkout lanes, mobile ordering, and delivery services, as well as urban patterns that promote car-centric lifestyles and limit access to public space and community life.

The article includes several examples of cities that made concerted efforts to create opportunities for social interaction and build pleasant, safe, accessible public spaces. Poon notes that “Opportunities for psychologically restorative face-to-face interactions aren’t limited to parks and other public spaces. They occur aboard trains and buses during commuting, in supermarket lines and apartment building mailrooms, and other sites of workday congregation.”

Multifamily housing can also offer spaces for residents to mingle—if designed effectively. This is where zoning comes in: eliminating parking requirements, for example, can free up valuable real estate that could be used for common spaces.

Field admits that building community is about more than just “carefully arranged furniture.” Setha Low, author of Why Public Space Matters, says we “need to think more intentionally about creating a “public culture” within these spaces that is welcoming of people of different backgrounds and interests, and that invite both discussion and dissent.”

 

Thursday, December 14, 2023 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

45 minutes ago - Cities Today

View from inside car's driver seat while driving.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians

Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

1 hour ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA