Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces

Loveability represents an emerging answer for enriching urban quality of life. The idea prioritises city dwellers’ emotional connections with psycho-spatial aspects of cities, beyond mere infrastructure, functionality, or services (“liveability”), which may not fully support positive wellbeing, espe...

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Main Authors: Mizan Rambhoros, Raymond Richard Neutra, Rosa Cerarols, Matthew Pelowski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Built Environment
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1504553/full
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author Mizan Rambhoros
Raymond Richard Neutra
Rosa Cerarols
Matthew Pelowski
author_facet Mizan Rambhoros
Raymond Richard Neutra
Rosa Cerarols
Matthew Pelowski
author_sort Mizan Rambhoros
collection DOAJ
description Loveability represents an emerging answer for enriching urban quality of life. The idea prioritises city dwellers’ emotional connections with psycho-spatial aspects of cities, beyond mere infrastructure, functionality, or services (“liveability”), which may not fully support positive wellbeing, especially in European cities. However, due to shifting, largely theoretical definitions and arguments for an unquantifiable nature, questions remain as to how people themselves think and feel about loveability within actual urban spaces. Here, for the first time we assessed how people quantify loveability, within two creative cultural or “third places:” MuseumsQuartier Haupthof in Vienna, Austria and Plaça de Joan Coromines in Barcelona, Spain. Based on a literature review, we identified potential psychological and spatial aspects associated with loveability and created a survey administered on-site to participants (N = 244) recruited from among foot traffic in our study settings. Participants rated spaces for liveability and loveability in their general experience of the places, and then defined how they had rated the “loveability” aspect via the importance of 55-items. Participants considered both places as loveable and contributing to positive wellbeing. Exploratory Factor Analysis and multiple regression models led to 5 factors for each population that highlighted groupings of significant psychological versus spatial dimensions. The distribution pattern showed commonalities of mostly psychological (e.g., delight/fascination, community, restorative wellness) but fewer spatial (usage/functionality) aspects across both settings. Our findings demonstrate that loveability plays a role in serving individuals’ delight and wellbeing, and insights of “accessibility,” “inclusivity,” and “order” may inform urban planning strategies and placemaking.
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spelling doaj-art-a0874a6ea01d45f2aebfb3060263f3e12025-01-31T06:40:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Built Environment2297-33622025-01-011010.3389/fbuil.2024.15045531504553Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spacesMizan Rambhoros0Raymond Richard Neutra1Rosa Cerarols2Matthew Pelowski3Department of Cognition, Emotions, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaNeutra Institute for Survival Through Design, Pacific Grove, CA, United StatesGeohumanities Research Group, Department of Humanities, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Cognition, Emotions, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaLoveability represents an emerging answer for enriching urban quality of life. The idea prioritises city dwellers’ emotional connections with psycho-spatial aspects of cities, beyond mere infrastructure, functionality, or services (“liveability”), which may not fully support positive wellbeing, especially in European cities. However, due to shifting, largely theoretical definitions and arguments for an unquantifiable nature, questions remain as to how people themselves think and feel about loveability within actual urban spaces. Here, for the first time we assessed how people quantify loveability, within two creative cultural or “third places:” MuseumsQuartier Haupthof in Vienna, Austria and Plaça de Joan Coromines in Barcelona, Spain. Based on a literature review, we identified potential psychological and spatial aspects associated with loveability and created a survey administered on-site to participants (N = 244) recruited from among foot traffic in our study settings. Participants rated spaces for liveability and loveability in their general experience of the places, and then defined how they had rated the “loveability” aspect via the importance of 55-items. Participants considered both places as loveable and contributing to positive wellbeing. Exploratory Factor Analysis and multiple regression models led to 5 factors for each population that highlighted groupings of significant psychological versus spatial dimensions. The distribution pattern showed commonalities of mostly psychological (e.g., delight/fascination, community, restorative wellness) but fewer spatial (usage/functionality) aspects across both settings. Our findings demonstrate that loveability plays a role in serving individuals’ delight and wellbeing, and insights of “accessibility,” “inclusivity,” and “order” may inform urban planning strategies and placemaking.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1504553/fullaestheticsarchitectureloveabilitypsychologicalspatialthird places
spellingShingle Mizan Rambhoros
Raymond Richard Neutra
Rosa Cerarols
Matthew Pelowski
Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces
Frontiers in Built Environment
aesthetics
architecture
loveability
psychological
spatial
third places
title Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces
title_full Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces
title_fullStr Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces
title_full_unstemmed Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces
title_short Operationalising “loveability”: an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces
title_sort operationalising loveability an interdisciplinary approach to enriching quality of life experiences in cities through creative cultural spaces
topic aesthetics
architecture
loveability
psychological
spatial
third places
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1504553/full
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AT rosacerarols operationalisingloveabilityaninterdisciplinaryapproachtoenrichingqualityoflifeexperiencesincitiesthroughcreativeculturalspaces
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