Latreille and colleagues link the design of public housing to wellbeing among young residents. They share that data they collected via interviews with people 14 -20 years old living in public housing indicated “five themes that describe the components of the residential environment that influence young people's well-being and personal projects: 1) parks, playgrounds and nature, 2) services and activities, 3) privacy, 4) relations with the neighborhood; and 5) the quality of the built environment. . . . Personal projects are defined as meaningful goals, aspirations and activities that enable people to experience pleasure and give meaning to their lives. . . . parks and playgrounds are conducive to the pursuit of personal projects related to physical activity, personal growth and social relationships. . . . Many . . . expressed their gratitude for having access to a private space in which to undertake their projects. Others mentioned their frustration at not having a personal space. . . . neglect of the built environment hinders the fulfilment of young people's personal projects by reducing their motivation to use these spaces.”
Jeremie Latreille, Janie Houle, and Simon Coulombe. 2024. “The Influence of the Residential Environment on Well-Being and Personal Projects: Perspectives of Young People Living in Public Housing.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 98, 102407, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102407