“A society grows great when elders plant trees, the shade of which they know they’ll never sit in.”

As placemakers, the actions we take have a direct influence on the communities we serve. For this reason, it is important to ask ourselves – what sort of cities do we want to create both now and for future generations? Just as elders plant trees whose shade they may never enjoy, we must reflect on the cities we are cultivating.

Our cities, initially formed for protection, then for commerce and prosperity, and ultimately for community and shared social experiences, have proven to be both nurturing and challenging environments. Alongside unquestionable opportunity, they can be harsh and inequitable places, with key challenges arising such as loneliness, pollution, and social and health inequalities to name a few.

A report from Campaign to End Loneliness found alarming statistics about loneliness in London with 8% of Londoners experiencing extreme loneliness, rising to 12% for young Londoners, 18% for low-income Londoners, and 15% for LGBTQ+ Londoners. Despite air quality considerably improving since 2016, the whole of London is forecast to remain exposed to NO2 and PM2.5 concentrations above the recommended WHO air quality guidelines in 2030, with the most deprived communities still more commonly living in the most polluted areas. 

To extend the natural metaphor, cities are ecosystems with many interconnected elements, all influencing each other. A 2019, WHO report titled Healthy, Prosperous Lives for Alldetails the key conditions that contribute to health inequities in self-reported health. Only 10% is attributable to health services with the remaining 90% down to non-medical factors - i.e. the social determinants of health.  These are the conditions into which we are born, live and age, our opportunities for work, rest and play, together with the wider set of forces and systems that shape the conditions of our daily lives.  It is therefore very evident that we all share a responsibility towards individual and societal health – it is not simply about access to healthcare. With London expected to grow to 11 million by 2050 (compared to just under 9 million in 2019), we need long-term strategic thinking and decision-making to tackle these enduring issues, and not be confined to short term electoral cycles.

Historically, a city’s ‘success’ has principally been measured through GDP with an obsessive focus on growth. As we move into a mindset of circularity, we are consciously acknowledging that growth should not be at any cost. How we measure success and value in our cities and communities therefore also needs to shift to more human and planetary criteria. 

New measures of value, such as those offered by the wellbeing economy, are designed to serve people and planet first and not the other way around. This shift in values requires an emphasis on health, life satisfaction, happiness, safety, social cohesion, cultural diversity, and environmental impact. By prioritising these factors, wellbeing is maintained, and economic prosperity follows organically.

It is time for us to reframe how we ‘value’ our cities and the NLA Agenda, with its six pillars of placemaking, presents an inspiring opportunity to do just that for London and consider how the built environment sector can be a leading light in this regard.  Crucially, ‘focus on health’ sits at the top of the tree of this framework and due to the interconnected nature of our city, if every organisation placed value on improving wider social metrics – that is to say, looking at their activities through a wellbeing lens – collectively we would make a hugely positive impact. 

For me, the highest aspiration in terms of leadership in our sector, should be our contribution to ‘creating health’ in cities – cultivating an ecosystem that supports and nurtures healthy lives. For this approach to have as far-reaching an impact as possible, it should become a guiding principle within both our built environment and our social structures. 

With a bold vision of wellbeing as a fundamental human right, Therme projects aim to become a new piece of social infrastructure, connected to the health eco-system of a city. Central to our programming is creating positive health outcomes. This is not limited to physical health. We view health and wellbeing as holistic and intimately linked both to community and the natural world. Our programming includes aqua fit classes, sauna sessions, evidence-based nutrition and tailored activities for diverse demographics to embody a commitment to positive health outcomes.  

As well as advocating for exercise, relaxation and healthy eating we want to build a space for social connection. Our art and cultural programming is focused on amplifying local and international talent to bring people together, fostering a sense of belonging and community pride, inducing wellbeing and consequentially fuelling our economy. 

A key part of our work at Therme is reimagining what wellbeing means and how we contribute to delivering an exemplary ‘health-creating’ city for inhabitants. Advocating for sustainable infrastructure, active travel, greening and decarbonisation are part of this approach. But it also means embracing a city’s rich diversity, culture and history of innovation, as its greatest strengths.

As contemporary challenges amplify political divisions and isolate communities, campaigns like the NLA Agenda can become catalysts for change. It encourages us to ask important questions such as: how do we bring our people together to work in partnership to create a better city? And what will this city look like in 10, 20, 100 years? 

The route to optimal wellbeing requires curiosity and collaboration. By working in partnership, we ensure that our collective learning evolves in tandem with the evolving challenges of urban health and wellbeing. 

In the coming years, we must face these challenges with an openness to innovation and an openness to change. If we are successful in this, we will be fostering cities where the seeds of positive change planted today will blossom into resilient, health-creating cities for all.