Addressing urban happiness in the context of sustainable development goals through urban design interventions: a case of Udhana, Surat.

Abstract

 Though urbanization is a desired and irreversible phenomenon, it also leads to multiple problems of quality of living and sustainability. People living in highly dense urban areas suffer from stress, insecurity, competition, fear and such other psychological issues. In 2015, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed upon by all 193 member states of the United Nations' (UN) Organizations. (United Nations, 2017) The ambitious set of 17 Goals fall within the Global Agenda, addresses complicated issues and covers the majority of the persistent issues that the world is distressed with (Department of Economics and Social Affairs New York, 2017). Charles Montgomery says in his book “Happy City” that a Livable city is a happy one. To create a robust and sustainable city, the social and mental well-being of city dwellers is important (Montgomery, 2015).

This study aims to evaluate an urban environment in context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as various aspects of “Urban Happiness”, identify the issues lowering its rate of livability index and propose context specific solutions through planning and design interventions. The location has been chosen since it is characterized by a large migrant population in Surat, Gujarat's fastest developing metropolis. The intricacy of urban livability and happiness is exacerbated by migration, which necessitates equal consideration for everybody. After understanding basic literature regarding urban happiness in the framework of SDG and a relevant case study, an analysis matrix is developed to identify the design parameters. A detailed site study has been carried out, and based on identified issues, context specific solutions are recommended.