Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo (PhD)

Founder and President (of Management Board)
Scientific Board Member
Lead Researcher for the Neurourbanism and Environmental Neuroscience Program
       
Landscape architect and neuroscience researcher, academic teacher and author, seeking to inform the practice of landscape design for mental health promotion in cities. To this end, she combined the theory of design, public health, and clinical research to uncover the causal relationships between the quality of the everyday environment and the mental health and well-being of urban residents as well as patients.
Agnieszka graduated from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences with a MSc in Landscape Architecture with specialization in Landscape Art. She continued her academic journey at the University of Porto, Portugal, and received a PhD in Landscape Architecture and Urban Ecology, where she utilized methods of neuroscience to examine the brain response to different landscape scenes across Europe and the USA. She has introduced and operationalized the concept of Contemplative Landscapes through the development of a tool called the Contemplative Landscape Model (CLM): an auditing tool for identifying green spaces with highest potential to generate mental health benefits in users. CLM can also be used to design landscapes with consideration to mental health and well-being.
Additionally, Agnieszka's post-doctoral academic work has taken her to Singapore where she conducted research in collaboration with the National University of Singapore (School of Design and Environment and School of Medicine) and National Parks Board. The outcomes of her research on CLM have been incorporated into the new “City in Nature” vision of Singapore. She is a Fellow at the Center for Urban Design and Mental Health (UD/MH) and an Editor-in-Chief of the UD/MH Journal. She has collaborated in multiple research projects related to improving urban mental health through green space design, in both Europe and Asia. She has communicated her research through interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, editorial assignments, international conferences and meetings, events, and webinars. She is the author of the book Neuroscience for Designing Green Spaces: Contemplative Landscapes published by Routledge in 2023. In 2017 she founded the research NGO, NeuroLandscape, which strives to advance and implement scientific research into practical actions to promote mental health in cities.

Publications

Book

Olszewska- Guizzo, Agnieszka. Neuroscience for Designing Green Spaces: Contemplative Landscapes, New York, United States: Routledge, 2023. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003295167.

Book chapter
  1. Mavros P., Olszewska-Guizzo A., Makowski D.,"Disentangling the Social from the Aesthetic: Neuropsychology for Urban Design," In Future Cities—City Futures: Emerging Urban Perspectives, TU Delft OPEN Publishing, April 2023, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370953123_Disentangling_the_Social_from_the_Aesthetic_Neuropsychology_for_Urban_Design.
  2. Tahsin, Nazwa; Weronika Gasior ; Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. Corresponding author: Tahsin, Nazwa. "Climate change and mental health in Bangladesh: a cultural variability perspective," In Climate Change and Health Hazards: addressing hazards to human and environmental health from a changing climate. Switzerland: Springer Nature, 229-249 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26592-1_12.
  3. Diana Benjumea; Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Coping with Extreme Circumstances through Community-Led Local Nature Interventions: A Science-based Policy Analysis Key Messages," In Urban Health and Wellbeing Systems Approaches: Policy Briefs Volume 2, edited by Franz Gatzweiler. Springer, 2021. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-33-6036-5_10.
  4. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Neuroscience-Based Urban Design For Mentally-Healthy Cities," In Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme: Policy Briefs Volume 2, edited by Franz Gatzweiler. Springer Nature, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6036-5_3.
  5. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka; Anna Fogel; Diana Benjumea. "Towards Transdisciplinary Urban Health: New Directions in Public Health, Urban Planning and Environmental Justice," In Sustainable Policies and Practices in Energy, Environment and Health Research: Addressing Cross-cutting Issues, edited by Diogo Guedes Vidal; Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis; Ricardo Cunha Dias; Walter Leal Filho. Germany: Springer Nature, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86304-3.
  6. Femke Beute; Maria Beatrice Andreucci; Zoe Davies; Julie Glanville; Hans Keune; Melissa Marselle; Liz O'Brien; et al. "Green space in (peri-) urban areas and mental health: which green space types and characteristics are most beneficial?" In Green and blue spaces and health: new evidence and perspectives for action with key findings from systematic reviews on types and characteristics of green and blue spaces and mental health. World Health Organization, 2021. https://repository.uantwerpen.be/docman/irua/19cce3/179537.pdf.
  7. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka; Fogel, Anna; Benjumea, Diana; Tahsin, Nazwa. "Sustainable Solutions in Urban Health: Transdisciplinary Directions in Urban Planning for Global Public Health," In Sustainable Policies and Practices in Energy, Environment and Health Research, 223-243. Germany: Springer International Publishing, 2021. https://doi.org.10.1007/978-3-030-86304-3_14.
  8. Hye, H.Y.; Kuei-Hsien, L.; Guizzo, A.O. "Neighbourhood landscape development process and design approaches," 80-93. 2018.

Conference paper/poster
  1. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Green and Healthy Cities – Environmental Exposures and Urban Design for Healthy Longevity." Paper presented at Better Future for Healthy Ageing, Zagreb, 2020.
  2. Anic Branimir, Ilaria Bellantuono, Boris Brkljacic, Ana Borovecki, Monica DiLuca, Zoran Ðogaš, Dan Ehninger, et al. "Policy Paper on Healthy Ageing – BFHA2020 Conference." Paper presented at Better Future for Healthy Ageing, Zagreb, 2020.
  3. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Validating the Landscape Design Framework for Urban High-Density Neighbourhoods." Paper presented at 5th International Conference on Sustainable Development, Rome, 2017.
  4. Roquelaure, Y. "Contemplative Greenway Design for the Health and Well-Being of City Inhabitants." Paper presented at 5th Fabos Conference on Landscape and Greenway Planning, Budapest, 2016.
  5.  Navickas, Lukas, Agnieszka Olszewska, and Theofrastos Mantadelis. "CLASS: Contemplative Landscape Automated Scoring System," Paper Presented at 24th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation, Athens, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1109/med.2016.7535987
  6. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Urban Planning, Neurosciences and Contemplation for Improving Well-Being in Our Cities." Paper presented at ARCC/EAAE 2014 International Conference on Architectural Research: Beyond Architecture New Intersections & Connections, Honolulu, 2014.
  7. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka, Angelia Sia, Roger Ho. "Effects of Passive Exposure to Green Urban Landscape on the Brain: Preliminary Results." Paper presented at 16th International Conference on Urban Health: People Oriented Urbanisation – Transforming Cities for Health and Well-Being, 2019.
  8. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Types and Components of Urban Blue Spaces that Have a Positive Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review." Paper presented at 16th International Conference on Urban Health: People Oriented Urbanisation – Transforming Cities for Health and Well-Being, 2019.
  9. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Meaning in the Landscapes of Contemplation: How to Give Significance by Design?" Paper presented at ECLAS Conference 2013: Specifics, 2013.
Journal articles
  1. Qi, J.; Lin, E.S.; Tan, P.Y.; Zhang, X.; Ho, R.; Sia, A.; Olszewska-Guizzo, A.; Waykool, R.. "Applying 3D spatial metrics for landscape planning: Creating and measuring landscape scenarios by a point cloud-based approach," Ecological Informatics, 79, (2024): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85181570114&partnerID=MN8TOARS,10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102436.
  2. Beute, F.; Marselle, M.R.; Olszewska-Guizzo, A.; Andreucci, M.B.; Lammel, A.; Davies, Z.G.; Glanville, J.; et al. "How do different types and characteristics of green space impact mental health? A scoping review," People and Nature 5 6 (2023): 1839-1876. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85170537893&partnerID=MN8TOARS, 10.1002/pan3.10529.
  3. Olszewska-Guizzo, A.; Sia, A.; Escoffier, N.. "Revised Contemplative Landscape Model (CLM): A reliable and valid evaluation tool for mental health-promoting urban green spaces," Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 86 (2023): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85164290088&partnerID=MN8TOARS, 10.1016/j.ufug.2023.128016.
  4. Olszewska-Guizzo, A.; Russo, A.; Roberts, A.C.; Kühn, S.; Marques, B.; Tawil, N.; Ho, R.C.. "Editorial: Cities and mental health," Frontiers in Psychiatry 14 (2023): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85168349221&partnerID=MN8TOARS, 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1263305.
  5. Qi, J.; Lin, E.S.; Tan, P.Y.; Zhang, X.; Ho, R.; Sia, A.; Olszewska-Guizzo, A.; Waykool, R.. "Representing the landscape visual quality of residential green spaces in Singapore with 3D spatial metrics". Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 90 (2023): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85176350305&partnerID=MN8TOARS, 10.1016/j.ufug.2023.128132.
  6. Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Teixeira, Catarina Patoilo; Fernandes, Cláudia Oliveira; Olszewska-guizzo, Agnieszka; Dias, Ricardo Cunha; Vilaça, Helena; Barros, Nelson; Maia, Rui Leandro. "Patterns of human behaviour in public urban green spaces: On the influence of users' profiles, surrounding environment, and space design," Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 74 (2022): 127668. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127668, 10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127668.
  7. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka; Fogel, Anna; Escoffier, Nicolas; Sia, Angelia; Nakazawa, Kenta; Kumagai, Akihiro; Dan, Ippeita; Ho, Roger. "Therapeutic Garden With Contemplative Features Induces Desirable Changes in Mood and Brain Activity in Depressed Adults," Frontiers in Psychiatry 13 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.757056, 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.757056.
  8. Olszewska-Guizzo, A.; Sia, A.; Fogel, A.; Ho, R.. "Features of urban green spaces associated with positive emotions, mindfulness and relaxation," Scientific Reports 12 1 (2022): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85143095648&partnerID=MN8TOARS, 10.1038/s41598-022-24637-0.
  9. Qi, J.; Lin, E.S.; Yok Tan, P.; Chun Man Ho, R.; Sia, A.; Olszewska-Guizzo, A.; Zhang, X.; Waykool, R.. "Development and application of 3D spatial metrics using point clouds for landscape visual quality assessment," Landscape and Urban Planning 228 (2022): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85139011993&partnerID=MN8TOARS, 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104585.
  10. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo; Ayako Mukoyama; Sho Naganawa; Ippeita Dan; Syeda Fabeha Husain; Cyrus SH Ho; Roger Ho. "Hemodynamic Response to Three Types of Urban Spaces before and after Lockdown during the COVID-19 Pandemic," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2021): https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/6118, 10.3390/ijerph18116118.
  11. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Effects of COVID-19-related stay-at-home order on neuropsychophysiological response to urban spaces: Beneficial role of exposure to nature?" Journal of Environmental Psychology (2021): 101590-101590. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494421000438?via%3Dihub, 10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101590.
  12. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka; Nicolas Escoffier; Anna Fogel; Roger Ho. "Effects of COVID-19-related Stay-at-Home Order on Neuropsychophysiological Response to Urban Spaces: Beneficial Role of Exposure to Nature?" Environmental Psychology (2021).
  13. Zhang, Zhisong, Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo, Syeda Fabeha Husain, Jessica Bose, JongKwan Choi, Wanqiu Tan, Jiayun Wang, et al. "Brief Relaxation Practice Induces Significantly More Prefrontal Cortex Activation during Arithmetic Tasks Comparing to Viewing Greenery Images as Revealed by Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 22 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228366.
  14. Hou, Yanru, Mahyar Masoudi, Agnieszka Chadala, and Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo. "Visual Quality Assessment of Urban Scenes with the Contemplative Landscape Model: Evidence from a Compact City Downtown Core." Remote Sensing 12, no. 21 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12213517.
  15. Wang, Cuiyan, Agata Chudzicka-Czupała, Damian Grabowski, Riyu Pan, Katarzyna Adamus, Xiaoyang Wan, Mateusz Hetnal, et al. "The Association Between Physical and Mental Health and Face Mask Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison of Two Countries with Different Views and Practices." Frontiers in Psychiatry 11 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.569981.
  16. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Can Exposure to Certain Urban Green Spaces Trigger Frontal Alpha Asymmetry in the Brain? Preliminary Findings from a Passive Task EEG Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 2 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020394.
  17. Wang, Cuiyan, Agata Chudzicka-Czupała, Damian Grabowski, Riyu Pan, Katarzyna Adamus, Xiaoyang Wan, and Mateusz Hetnal. "The Association Between Physical and Mental Health and Face Mask Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison of Two Countries with Different Views and Practices." Frontiers in Psychiatry 11 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.569981.
  18. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Designing Urban Green Blue Infrastructure for Mental Health and Elderly Wellbeing."
    Sustainability 11, no. 22 (2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226425.
  19. Hwang, Yun Hye, Puay Yok Tan, and Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo. "A Transdisciplinary Approach for the Validation of Neighborhood Landscape Design Guidelines." Journal of Urban Planning and Development 145, no. 3 (2019): Article 04019008. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)up.1943-5444.0000514.
  20. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka, Nicolas Escoffier, Jane Chan, and Tan Puay Yok. "Window View and the Brain: Effects of Floor Level and Green Cover on the Alpha and Beta Rhythms in a Passive Exposure EEG Experiment." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 11 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15112358.
  21. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Contemplative Landscapes: Towards Healthier Built Environments." Journal of Environment and Social Psychology 3, no. 2 (2018). https://doi.org/10.18063/esp.v3.i2.742.
  22. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka A., Tiago O. Paiva, and Fernando Barbosa. "Effects of 3D Contemplative Landscape Videos on Brain Activity in a Passive Exposure EEG Experiment." Frontiers in Psychiatry 9 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00317.
  23. Olszewska, A. A., P. F. Marques, R. L. Ryan, and F. Barbosa. "What Makes a Landscape Contemplative?" Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design (2016). https://doi.org/10.1177/0265813516660716.
  24. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. "Design of Hospital Gardens for Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases." Space & Form 25 (2016). https://doi.org/10.21005/pif.2016.25.D-01.
  25. Olszewska, Agnieszka Anna, Paulo Farinha Marques, and Fernando Barbosa. "Enhancing Urban Landscape with Neuroscience Tools: Lessons from the Human Brain." CITYGREEN 1, no. 11 (2015): 60–61. https://doi.org/10.3850/s2382581215010777.
Other publications
  1. Olszewska-Guizzo, Agnieszka. Green cities and the right to health and mental health. Poland: Stow. Arteria, 2022, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360683527_Zielone_miasta_a_prawo_do_zdrowia_i_zdrowia_psychiczn ego.
  2. Beute, Femke, Maria Beatrice Andreucci, Annamaria Lammel, Zoe Davies, Julie Glanville, Hans Keune, Melissa Marselle, et al. "Types and Characteristics of Urban and Peri-Urban Green Spaces Having an Impact on Human Mental Health and Wellbeing," 2021. https://eklipse.eu/request-health/.
  3. Hwang, Yun Hye, Jane Chan, Agnieszka O. Guizzo, and Puay Yok Tan, "Neighbourhood Landscapes." 2018. https://doi.org/10.1142%2F9789813236035_0002.
  4. Hwang, Yun Hye, Kuei-Hsien Liao, Agnieszka O. Guizzo, "Neighbourhood Landscape Development Process and Design Approaches." 2018,  https://doi.org/10. 1142%2F9789813236035_0004.
  5. Tan, Puay Yok, Kuei-Hsien Liao, Yun Hye Hwang, Vincent Chua, Agnieszka O. Guizzo, and Jane Chan, "Designing Neighbourhood Landscapes with Landscape Services." 2018. https://doi.org/10.1142%2F9789813236035_0005.