健康理念與城市空間

健康理念體現(xiàn)在城市空間規(guī)劃設(shè)計的方方面面。在19世紀(jì)中葉，英國倫敦暴發(fā)霍亂疫情，約翰·斯諾通過詳細的調(diào)查，繪制了倫敦霍亂地圖，揭示了霍亂與特定水源的關(guān)聯(lián)。這一早期的流行病學(xué)和地理空間結(jié)合的案例揭示了城市規(guī)劃對公共衛(wèi)生的重要性。工業(yè)革命后，城市發(fā)展迎來了空前的繁榮，卻也伴隨著一系列健康問題的出現(xiàn)，惡劣的工作環(huán)境、擁擠的居住區(qū)、污染的空氣和水源，這一切成為了當(dāng)時城市居民健康的巨大威脅，也正是在這個時刻，人們開始意識到健康與空間規(guī)劃之間的緊密聯(lián)系。隨著對健康的理解從關(guān)注疾病預(yù)防到涵蓋身體、心理、社會福祉，再到生態(tài)系統(tǒng)健康等更廣泛視角的轉(zhuǎn)變，推動了將健康理念納入空間規(guī)劃設(shè)計中。

當(dāng)前，健康理念逐漸與可持續(xù)發(fā)展理念相結(jié)合。人們關(guān)注城市規(guī)劃、景觀設(shè)計、環(huán)境保護、食品安全等與健康直接相關(guān)的方面，追求既能夠維護個體健康又有助于地球可持續(xù)發(fā)展的生活方式?！巴唤】怠崩砟畹难葑兂尸F(xiàn)出從狹義的醫(yī)學(xué)觀念到廣義的社會、環(huán)境、全球性因素綜合考量的趨勢。這一過程既是對健康認知逐步深化的體現(xiàn)，也是不斷適應(yīng)社會變革和科技進步的產(chǎn)物，更是重新審視人與自然共生關(guān)系的深刻轉(zhuǎn)變，體現(xiàn)了對城市空間更加綜合、健康、可持續(xù)發(fā)展的期待。

健康的城市空間規(guī)劃設(shè)計需要超越傳統(tǒng)的規(guī)劃理念，將醫(yī)學(xué)、社會學(xué)、生態(tài)學(xué)等多學(xué)科的智慧融入，其中，公共空間是城市中的關(guān)鍵社交場所，也是人們休憩與活動的重要場地。在同一健康視角下，更需重新思考公共空間的功能與布局。公園、廣場、步道等空間要滿足人們的身體活動需求，同時提供充足的綠色覆蓋，讓人們在自然中感受舒適、放松。公共空間就像重要的動脈，促進身體活動、社交互動和精神恢復(fù)，并能夠加強社會結(jié)構(gòu)、提高集體的適應(yīng)力。

面向全球氣候變化應(yīng)對，我們站在健康與可持續(xù)性的交匯點上，不斷演進的健康理念與城市空間之間存在著愈發(fā)深刻的關(guān)系，空間規(guī)劃設(shè)計的方式也需要相應(yīng)調(diào)整，特別是生態(tài)系統(tǒng)的健康與人類的健康、城市生活的健康與安全愈發(fā)緊密。地球上的每一個人、每一個物種都面臨氣候變化的挑戰(zhàn)，城市空間需要體現(xiàn)強有力的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)健康維持能力，我們需要了解不同物種的生境、棲息環(huán)境、習(xí)性以及適應(yīng)環(huán)境的能力。被稱為動物界“工程師”的海貍，非常擅長修筑水壩，海貍總是會將池塘挖掘到足夠的深度，建造多重水壩綜合體，將水深增加到足夠的深度來保護自己，從而創(chuàng)造微濕地，蓄積更多水，減緩水流失，在干旱時期保持水量，徹底改變環(huán)境，并營建自己的巢穴。近來研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，海貍通過北移應(yīng)對氣候變化，在永久凍土區(qū)域制造池塘，蓄積的溫暖水面增加了生物多樣性，同時也創(chuàng)造了綠洲，這可能會影響凍土層生態(tài)系統(tǒng)，但體現(xiàn)了應(yīng)對氣候變化適應(yīng)環(huán)境的能力，具有類似海貍的生存智慧的物種還有很多，而人類需要在空間規(guī)劃設(shè)計中保護和營造多樣性的棲息環(huán)境，提升生物多樣性，以維持健康的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)，推進人與自然協(xié)同健康發(fā)展。共同建設(shè)一個更加美好、更加健康的未來城市。

Health Philosophy and Urban Space

The philosophy of health has been mapped in all aspects of urban space planning and design.In the mid-19th century, a cholera epidemic broke out in London, England.After a thorough investigation, John Snow drew a map of cholera across London,which revealed an association between the cholera distribution and specific water sources.This was an early case of combining epidemiology and geographic space, which highlighted the importance of urban planning for public health.Following the Industrial Revolution, urban development ushered in unprecedented prosperity,but also with a series of health-related problems: Poor working conditions, crowded dwelling districts, polluted air and water, and so on.All these occurrences impose serious threats to the health of urban dwellers at that time.It is also since this moment that people have begun to be aware of the tight connection between health and spatial planning.As the public’s understanding of health shifted from a focus on disease prevention to such aspects as physical, mental, and social well-being dimensions, and then to ecosystem health as well as other broader perspectives, the philosophy of health gradually began to be incorporated into spatial planning and design.

At present, the philosophy of health comes to be integrated with the idea of sustainability.People pay attention to urban planning,landscape design, environmental protection, food safety and other issues directly related to health, while pursuing lifestyles that cannot only maintain individual health, but can also enhance the sustainable development of the Earth.The philosophy of “One Health” has evolved along the trend from a narrowly defined medical concept to a broad mindset that takes into comprehensive account the social,environmental and global factors.This process is both a reflection of gradually deepened cognition of health and a product of continuous adaptation to social transformation and scientific advancement.Even more, it is a profound shift to reexamine the symbiotic relationship between human beings and nature, charting an expectation for a more integrated, healthy and sustainable development of urban space.

Health-oriented urban space planning and design entails a methodology that goes beyond traditional planning concepts by integrating wisdom from multiple disciplines, including medicine,sociology, ecology and so on.Especially, public space is key social venues in cities, as well as an important site for urban citizens’ rest and activities.Under the same health perspective, it is even more necessary to rethink the functionality and layout of public space.Such spaces as parks, plazas and pathways should meet people’s demand for physical activities, while providing adequate green coverage, so that people can feel comfortable and relaxed in nature.Like vital arteries, public spaces could facilitate physical movement, social interaction and mental recovery, thus enhancing the social fabrics and boosting the collective resilience.

Facing the global climate change, we are standing at the intersection of health and sustainability.Given an increasingly indepth relationship between the ever-evolving health philosophy and urban space, the approach to spatial planning and design needs to be transformed accordingly, especially when the health of ecosystems is getting more and more closely linked to the health of human beings as well as the health and safety of urban life.Nowadays, every person and species on the planet is encountering the challenge from climate changes, so urban spaces are required to demonstrate a robust capacity to maintain the ecosystem’s health.It is necessary for us to understand the biotope, habitats, living habits, and adaptive capacities of different species.Known as the “engineers” in the animal kingdom,beavers are very adept at building dams.They can always dig their ponds deep enough to protect themselves, while constructing multiple dam complexes, so as to create micro-wetlands, hold more water, and slow down water drainage.They can retain proper water in drought seasons.In a word, they build their hideouts, while modifying the environment totally.Some recent research has found that beavers are responding to climate change by migrating northward.By digging ponds in permafrost and storing warm water, they increase the biodiversity and forge oases.This may affect permafrost ecosystems;anyway, it showcases an ability to respond to climate change and adapt to the environment.In fact, there are many more species with survival wisdom similar to that of beavers.In spatial planning and design, it is needed to protect and forge diversified habitats, so as to enhance biodiversity and maintain a healthy ecosystem.Only in this way, may we promote coordinative and healthy development of humans and nature by jointly constructing better cities that are more healthy and future-proof.

Editor-in-Chief: ZHENG Xi

December 4, 2023