2 positions – Christer, Suede / John Pløger, Norway
20 February Online
The INTA conference kicks off the 20th of February a series of three meetings on urban health culture.
Helle Juul, President of INTA, emphasizes that the strategy focuses on how the physical environment affects our physical, mental, and social well-being. The conferences will cover mental health and physical well-being (March 20) as well as the role of nature in health (April 23).
Christer Larsson, former city planning director in Malmö, presents his work on socially sustainable urban planning, inspired by Michael Marmot’s research on health inequalities. He highlights the importance of a holistic approach to architecture and urban planning, prioritizing quality of life and social cohesion. One of the major challenges is loneliness, which has severe health consequences. Crister Larsson argues that co-housing could be part of the solution.
John Pløger focuses on spatialization: how we experience, create, and attribute meaning to places. He stresses that well-being is a complex concept that depends on both physical and socio-spatial conditions.
He argues that planning is never a finished process but an ongoing development that must consider atmosphere, social interaction, and individual experiences of space.
He also points out that safety is not only about physical design but also about social norms and behavior. He highlights the need for flexibility in planning and the value of diversity over standardization.
Finally, he calls for a rethinking of decision-making processes, encouraging active citizen involvement and a stronger focus on transforming existing urban spaces rather than simply constructing new ones.The meeting concludes with an invitation to visit INTA’s website LinkedIn page, participate in the upcoming meetings in March and April, and to reserve the date of September 12 to attend a full-day event in Copenhagen on September 12.
You will find the transcript of the INTA conference of February 20, 2025 and a translation. These automatic translations are an aid to understanding. We ask you to kindly excuse any errors they may contain.