Colin Ellard: "Good buildings are designed with an understanding of what makes people feel comfortable"

Colin Ellard is the director of the Urban Realities Laboratory at the University of Waterloo (Canada), the author of the book "Habitat. How architecture affects our behavior and well-being." He works in the fields of psychology, planning, architecture and urban design and has been publishing research on these topics for many years.

In 2018, Colin was one of the speakers of the 100+ forum. We talked with him about the pandemic, Canada's experience in coordinating the architectural appearance of buildings, the need for renovation, and the importance of public spaces.

– The main theme of 2020 is the pandemic. What are the main discoveries you have made for yourself as an urban researcher and psychologist?

– The pandemic has changed the rules of the game in many ways, and I could write an entire book to answer this question, but I will focus only on a few main points. I think that from the point of view of urban studies, psychology and life in general, we are accustomed to ignore many problems that we have long known about, but have not solved. But the pandemic has shown their severity, and we can no longer pretend that they don't exist. One example is inequality. We have always known that in different parts of cities there are completely different living conditions related to factors of racial and class differences. Frankly speaking, the death rate of poor residents was much higher, and some of the reasons for this are related to the way we design cities. People with lower incomes often live in denser environments, are less likely to be able to work from home, and it is more difficult for them to find ways to solve mental health problems (communities, parks, etc.) than wealthier residents. None of this is new, but the pandemic has shown us the risks of this state of affairs.

Another aspect that I find interesting and important is that we have realized the limitations of online relationships. We have previously discussed the possibility of transferring many personal interactions (business meetings, scientific conferences, educational programs of all levels) to the Internet, which would be more economical and efficient. The terrible side of this scenario is the number of cases of stress and depression in isolation that we see as a result of people not being able to be together. I hope this has helped everyone realize that there is no easy substitute for personal relationships. Although, perhaps, we will begin to treat personal meetings and relationships differently, we will perceive them as a more valuable resource than in the past.

– Since you visited Yekaterinburg in 2018, it has been allowed not to coordinate the architectural appearance of buildings with the authorities. And how does the system work in Canada, is there such an agreement? In your opinion, how necessary is this procedure?

– Architecture decisions in Canadian cities are mostly made at the local level, and yes, there is also state control and coordination here. There should be a cooperative relationship between urban planning departments in municipalities and developers. Obviously, the project should be profitable for the developer, but the task of the city government is to try to ensure that the built facility also works for the city as a whole, including for the well–being of citizens. There will always be a search for compromises and a lot of negotiations between these parties. For example, a developer may be allowed to add several floors to a high-rise building, provided that they include in the project the improvement of more public spaces next to the building, which will benefit everyone.

– In large cities, the height and density of buildings are growing quite noticeably (Yekaterinburg is no exception). What consequences can this have for people's well-being? How to minimize negative effects and increase positive ones?

– The research of my laboratory, some of which have not yet been published (a preprint is available at the link: https://psyarxiv.com/w8e4b /), show that not only height is important, but also, as you say, density. The construction of high-rise buildings is completely justified for many reasons, including economic and environmental ones. And there are many ways to influence how we will feel in such an environment, including choosing the right location of high–rise buildings and the distance between them. I hope that as these effects become widely known, planners and planners will take into account the impact of urban design on the psychological health of residents.

– Small towns in Russia and even some areas of large cities often cause depressive feelings due to the monotonous gray buildings – the Soviet legacy. How can you deal with this if there are no funds for renovation?

– It's difficult, and I don't think it's just a problem for Russia, although yes, I've seen it with my own eyes here. I think part of the solution lies in changing priorities. When it comes to budget shortages, let's not forget the economic costs of depression and other types of mental illness that can be caused by excessive exposure to harsh environments. It may turn out that the real cost of renovation is lower than the costs caused by the deterioration of public health, if you continue to ignore its necessity.

Another approach is to find different renovation methods that have a positive psychological effect, and they don't always have to be expensive. There are good examples of inexpensive solutions, sometimes called "tactical urbanism" – outdoor furniture, public art, and many others. Given the monumental challenges we face, this proposal may seem trivial, but sometimes it's enough for residents to simply feel that they are being taken care of, and this alone can have a beneficial effect on public health.

– In Yekaterinburg, a significant part of the main square of the city is occupied by a parking lot and a monument to Lenin. Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing? What, in your opinion, should be the ideal central square of the city?

– I firmly believe that the central part of any city should be pedestrian-friendly. I understand that it is not so easy to change the current "automotive" reality, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the fact that the era of cars may be over, and possibly very soon. It's not just about Yekaterinburg, almost every city I've visited has an acute shortage of real public spaces (unfortunately, in many cities the only public spaces left are the roadways). I believe that the city square should be a place where people like to come (and yes, even in Yekaterinburg and other northern cities with cold winters (like the one I live in) all year round. It should have universal points of attraction – good places for walking and sitting, delicious food, opportunities for observing people and a little bit of nature, even if you add just a little landscape architecture. And by the way, the pandemic has shown us that being outside in winter, just sitting in the yard and drinking coffee is not so bad!

– Tell us about your experience: which building affected you the worst and why? And vice versa – which caused the most positive emotions?

– I will give a fairly general answer to the question. I think the best buildings are the ones that best take into account people's working conditions. This sounds very generalized, but what I really mean is that good buildings are designed with an understanding of what provides people with comfort, interest, and positive emotions. In terms of appearance, this means open public spaces embedded in architecture, interesting and complex facades (my personal preference), and in terms of interior design, extensive use of natural materials, special attention to lighting (especially natural light) and, for example, for public spaces or workplaces, attention should be paid to to pay attention to the fact that we are all different people. For example, a comfortable environment for an introvert will be very different from an environment that will make an extrovert happy.

– Conscious construction was discussed at the 100+ forum in 2020. What does this term mean to you and how to bring the whole world to conscious construction?

– I would really like to be present at these discussions! For me, conscious construction is related to the awareness of the human factor in the design process. We can create engineering wonders using great materials, but what's really important is that we clearly focus not on technology and splendor, but on how design affects how people think, feel, and behave.