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Urban Solutions and Sustainability R&D Congress 2023, Singapore

Date: 4 - 5 October (Wed & Thu), 2023

Venue: Sands Expo and Convention Centre

 

The Congress was divided into several breakout sessions, out of which this specific one dedicated to mental health and well-being promotion through contact with urban nature. Below are the descriptions of speakers and talks. Among them our own Dr Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo. More details can be found at the Congress website.

Liveability: Nature and Well-being

This session brought together various speakers from the public sector and research spheres, to highlight leading areas of research and application in advancing nature-based solutions for health and well-being, as part of Singapore’s overall transformative efforts under its “City in Nature” vision.

Prof Tan Puay Yok
Chief Science & Technology Officer and Director, Singapore Botanic Gardens
National Parks Board (NParks)
Professor, College of Design and Engineering
National University of Singapore (NUS)

Topic: The Salubrity of Urban Nature: From Patterns to Mechanisms

There is probably a universal acceptance that nature in cities provides numerous benefits for urban dwellers. Among these, the health benefits from urban nature is a recurring and long-standing theme across different disciplines, from landscape architecture to urban planning, to human geography and public health planning. This is reflected in the increasing number of scholarly articles on this topic published over the last two decades. Such a recognition of the salubrious benefits of nature that cuts across cultures, however, can be said to be a rediscovery of old knowledge. For instance, more than two thousand years ago, Hippocrates said “Nature itself is the best physician”.

In Chinese culture, the idea of “天人合一” promotes the practice of harmony between human and nature as a way of living and an ethical treatment of the environment. Therefore, given the long cultural associations and increasing scientific evidence, what else needs to be done to increase the health benefits of nature exposure? One such area is to undertake studies that go beyond documenting benefits of nature exposure, to understanding the mechanisms leading to health benefits. Understanding mechanisms, in turn, provide the necessary evidence to design optimal interventions that address constraints of space, time and lifestyles of urban living. This presentation shares perspectives on the need to invest more efforts to develop a better mechanistic understanding of the health-promoting effects of nature exposure.

Dr Lin Shengwei Ervine
Senior Lecturer
Programme Director Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture
National University of Singapore (NUS)

Topic: Measuring Urban Landscapes for Assessment of Restorative Potential

Exposure to nature is widely suggested to provide multiple benefits, including the capacity to trigger mental restoration. This makes it essential to integrate natural elements into urban landscapes through purpose-built parks or neighbourhood greening efforts. Singapore is no stranger to this and has spent decades greening the city into its current state. However, it is unclear what kind of greenery typologies should be prioritized in relation to the urban environment, and how the two interact and affect restorative potential. This talk will showcase two novel methods for measuring urban landscapes specific to assessing and predicting the restorative potential of neighbourhood landscapes.In doing so, it will shed light on preliminary research findings which point towards the importance and complexities of attempting to measure such an elusive effect. Such findings pave the way for fresh insights into planning and designing urban landscapes in order to maximise restorative benefits to urban dwellers.

Dr Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo
President & Co-founder
NeuroLandscape

with

Ms Alicia Soh,
Senior Manager, Development Management
National Parks Board (NParks)

Topic: Urban Nature for Mentally-Healthy Cities: Contemplative Landscapes
This talk will provide new insights for integrating natural landscapes into cities with consideration of better mental health and well-being, by delving into the concept of "Contemplative Landscapes" along with its supporting scientific background. Evidence from local and international studies on the influence of contemplative landscapes on the brain will also be discussed, together with the practical implications of how urban planners and residents can harness this concept to maximize the therapeutic benefits of nature. Finally, the talk will also address current and future approaches regarding the application of the Contemplative Landscape Model.
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Presentation at the International Conference for Environment and Human Health | HK

18 of August 2022
10:40 AM Hong Kong Time (GMT+8)
*online

Dr Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo to present "Neuroscience for Designing Urban Green Spaces: Contemplative Landscape Exposure for Mental Health"

at the  International Conference for Environment and Human Health hosted by Research Centre for Environment and Human Health in Hong Kong.

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1st in-person NeuroLandscape Workshop | Korthi-Greece | 7-9 May 2022

Natural and Cultural Heritage for Healthier and More Sustainable Urban Realms

The first, in-person scientific meeting of NeuroLandscape Team, titled "Natural and Cultural Heritage for Healthier and More Sustainable Urban Realms" took place among beautiful landscapes of the Greek island of Andros, hosted at the local Korthi Town Hall. 

The program of a 3-day event included:

SATURDAY (7.05.2022)

Time Presentation title - Speaker (Affiliation) Language
11:15 - 11:30 Welcome & Opening with Coffee GR/ENG
11:30 - 12:00 Contemplative Landscapes for Sustainable Tourism -  Dr. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo (NeuroLandscape) ENG
12:00 - 12:30 Nature-Based Solutions for More Inclusive and Resilient Communities - Dr. Weronika Gasior (NeuroLandscape) ENG
12:30 - 13:00 A.I. Tools for Cultural Heritage and Tourism - Dr. Theofrastos Mantadelis (NeuroLandscape) ENG

SUNDAY (8.05.2022)

10:00 - 10:30 Impact in Post-pandemic Times: Neuroscience to the Rescue - Dr. Nicolas Escoffier (NeuroLandscape) ENG
10:30 - 11:15 Gender Equality Plan as a necessary tool for Horizon Europe Applications - Dr. Weronika Gasior (NeuroLandscape) ENG
11:15 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 - 12:00 Korthian Artists 1850-1950 - Mr. Aristeidis Mantadelis (Civil Engineer) GR/ENG
12:00 - 13:00 Can you  see what you’re looking at?: Contemplative Landscape Features Recognition and Assessment - outdoor workshop - Dr. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo (NeuroLandscape) ENG

MONDAY (9.05.2022)

10:00 - 10:30 Dimetra - Predicting vulnerable goods disease before transportation - Dr. Theofrastos Mantadelis (NeuroLandscape) ENG
10:30 - 11:15 Sustainable food systems in the EU legal framework - Ms. Aleksandra Zaborowska (Neurolandscape and EP) ENG
11:15 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 - 12:00 Climate Change and Water Management - case study of Khulna, Bangladesh - Ms. Nazwa Tahsin (NeuroLandscape) ENG
12:00 - 12:30 VinhoLandscape - An Introduction to the Wines of Northern Portugal - Mr. Raul J.Guizzo (Symington Family Estates) ENG
12:30 - 13:00 Wine Tasting - workshop - Mr. Raul J.Guizzo (Symington Family Estates) ENG

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ICT Solutions for Healthcare | Webinar | 21 October 2021

XIII International Congress of the Spanish Association of Bioethics and Medical Ethics (AEBI)

The Organizing Committee and the Spanish Association of Bioethics and Medical Ethics (AEBI) organized the thirteenth edition of the AEBI International Congress that hosted several focused events, including the webinar on ICT solutions for Healthcare. In it our NeuroLandscape VR tool called Eascape was presented to the wider medical and Spanish-speaking audience.

Program

18:30

Welcome & opening - Elena Andrade Gomez - Enfermera. Doctora en Salud Pública. Directora de estudios de la Escuela de Enfermería de la Universidad de La Rioja. España.

18:40

ENTORNOS NATURALES, SALUD Y REALIDAD VIRTUAL Dr. Weronika Gasior - Lingüista. Doctora en Lingüística aplicada. Miembro del Consejo Científico de Neurolandscape. Jefe de Comunicaciones y Proyectos de Realidad Virtual. NeuroLandscape. Polonia - Singapur.

19:00 - Q& A
19:10

DESAFÍOS ÉTICOS DEL e-HEALTH Y EL m-HEALTH - Juan Carlos Oliva, Ingeniero de telecomunicaciones y electrónica. Director de Innovación Sanitaria del Sistema Público de Salud de La Rioja. España.

19:30 - Q&A
19:40

FORTALEZAS Y DEBILIDADES DEL E-LEARNING Y B-LEARNING - Vicente Soriano , Médico y Doctor en Medicina. Vicedecano de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Internacional de la Rioja (UNIR). España.

20:00- Q&A
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Innovate 4 Cities 2021 | UN Habitat Conference

Tuesday 12 October at 15:45 CEST.

Dr. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo has presented her insights at the session 5H: Green spaces for healthier cities, which was fully recorded and available online:

The Conference, co-hosted by #UNHabitat and #Mayors4Climate, brings together innovative research and science to help cities tackle #ClimateChange challenges. The global five-day virtual #I4C Conference covering #Science and #Innovation partnerships driving inclusive, resilient, and climate-neutral #cities, runned from 11 to 15 October 2021 and attracted over 1,000 city leaders, scientists, researchers, innovators, academics, youth, and business leaders and is open to everyone.

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Circular Green Cities at the Floriade Expo 2021

Experts talks were a part of the Sustainability day at the FoodForum and gave a lot of fruit for thought on how we can work towards more #circular cities (Vojtech Vosecky), nature inclusive urban developments such as #pampus #Almere (Paola HuijdingIngrid Zeegers) and on a street-level scale by #RewildingSteppingStones (Gideon Spanjar) and the value for human well-being by Dr Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo.

The event was moderated by Xander De Bruine
Special thanks to Mark Spetter Bart Harleman Dina El Filali Debbie Tijsterman

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ASEAN Workshop on Biodiversity and its Linkages to Human Health

27 September 2021  at 2:30 PM Singapore

The connections between biodiversity, mental health and physical inactivity are particularly relevant in the context of shifting global burden of diseases in which non-communicable diseases are among the most rapidly rising challenge to global public health. Contact with nature may provide positive mental health benefits, as well as promote physical activity and contribute to overall well-being.

The ASEAN Workshop on Biodiversity and its Links to Human Health in an Urban Context and Capacity Building on Therapeutic Horticulture as an Example of the Links (referred to subsequently as the ASEAN Workshop) is one of the follow-up activities to the above 2018 regional workshop. The European Union, through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in ASEAN (BCAMP), is providing funding support to the ASEAN Workshop.

Due to the COVID-19, the ASEAN Workshop had to be postponed and implementation modalities divided into two parts:
(i) introductory webinar (as per current invitation and information note); and
(ii) in-person workshop (tentatively to be conducted in 2022, contingent on prevailing
COVID-19 situation)

Expected Outputs of the Introductory Webinar

1. Enable participants to become supporters and active advocates of green spaces and
therapeutic horticulture approaches in their respective cities in the ASEAN Region.
2. Generate ideas and recommendations on the promotion of green spaces and
therapeutic horticulture in the ASEAN Region.

2:30-2:40pm  - Entry of participants, House rules ACB

2:40-2:45pm Opening remarks , Ms. Wendy Yap - Director/ International Biodiversity Conservation, NParks

Session 1: Role of Green Spaces on Health and Wellbeing
2.45-3.25pm

  1. "Landscapes for mental wellbeing" - Dr. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo - President and Co-founder of  NeuroLandscape
  2.  "Case study: Prescribing physical activity in parks in Singapore for improved health and wellbeing" - Dr. Nicholas Alexander Petrunoff - Assistant Professor, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore
  3. Question and Answer - Moderator: Mr. Elpidio Peria, - Technical Consultant, ACB

Session 2: Benefits of Therapeutic Horticulture, a Nature-based Programme
3.35-4.25pm

  1. "Contextualising therapeutic horticulture for the tropics" - Ms. Tham Siang Yu Permaculture Designer
  2. "Case study 1: Design and programming of therapeutic horticulture in a tropical nursing home" - Mr. Tham Xin Kai Design Director of Hortian Consultancy and Co-founder of
    Hortherapeutics
  3. " Case study 2: A research study on therapeutic horticulture on older adults in Singapore" - Ms. Angelia Sia Deputy Director of Research at the Centre for Urban Greenery and
    Ecology, NParks
  4. Question and Answer Moderator: Mr. Elpidio Peria, Technical Consultant, ACB

4:35 – 4.45 Synthesis and Closing - Ms. Clarissa C. Arida, Director, Programme Development and Implementation Unit, ACB

iHealthtech, National University of Singapore and 

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World Sustainability Forum Speech on Community-led Greenspace |13-15 September 2021

On Monday 13th September at 11:00 CEST Dr Diana Benjumea Meija presented her research on "The Spatial and Social Components of Community-led Green Spaces and its Contribution to the Health and Wellbeing of Low-income Communities" at the 9th World Sustainability Forum

In the last decade, there has been a surge in projects initiated by urban low-income residents in Medellin to revitalise urban green spaces through pro-environmental initiatives. Urban green spaces in these neighbourhoods are believed to be the repositories of diverse socially constructed and perceived meanings defined by the prosocial and self-reflective approaches of the communities to achieve alternative methods of governance over the territory.

This study was designed to investigate the underlying spatial and social components that emerge after the community-led green spaces are built. Two neighbourhoods in Medellin were investigated: Villatina (commune 8) and Eduardo Santos (commune 13). A quasi-longitudinal mix-methods study was conducted from 2016 until June 2021.
Ethnographic field work, interviews, focus groups and surveys were collected with residents of the two neighbourhoods. The results of this study suggest that there are underlying social and spatial components that emerge after the community-led green spaces are built and these are crucial to forge prosocial behaviours, activism, stewardship, and protection from crime.

Additionally, the active engagement of the communities in self-governed placemaking process creates an immediate sense of place defined by social factors such as ownership, learning, community coexistence, cooperation, sustainability, and ecology. These components contribute to the mental and physical health and wellbeing of low-income residents and creates unique social and environmental values.

Book of abstracts available here

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Neuro-architecture to promote well-being | MAB 2020 Symposium

JULY 1, 2021
16:30 – 18:00 (CEST)

Neuro-architecture transmits knowledge and technologies from the field of neuroscience into the professions of spatial design, aimed to get better-informed design solutions to promote human and non-human well-being in our public spaces. We kick off with the key findings of our 2-year research project Sensing Streetscapes, followed by a roundtable exploration with the global pioneers from Neuro-architecture. What is the state of affairs and what is the potential of this approach to push improved sustainable well-being, especially in the newly built high-density urban settings?

Moderators:

Frank Suurenbroek - Professor of Spatial Urban Transformation at the Faculty of Technology at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Gideon Spanjar - Senior Researcher and projectleader at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Gideon is also a professor of Innovation & Urban Green Spaces at Aeres University of Applied Sciences and an associate fellow at the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management.

Invited Guests:

Jordan Lacey -Australian Research Council fellow and senior lecturer across RMIT University’s School of Design and School of Art. He specialises in artistic research and soundscape design

Justin Hollander - PhD, FAICP is a Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University. Among others, he co-authored the groundbreaking study Cognitive Architecture (2015)

Ann Sussman - trained architect, Boston Architectural College (BAC), co-author of the groundbreaking study Cognitive Architecture (2015) and co-founder of TheHapi.org.

Davide Ruzzon - professor of architecture at the University of Venice (IUAV), co-founder of the master Neuroscience Applied to Architectural Design and member of the Academy of Neuro-Architecture, actively involved in the Architecture Biennale in Venice. Davide also works as an architect at Lombardini22 in Milan.

Stefano Andreani - Lecturer in Architecture and a Research Associate at the Graduate School of Design of Harvard University

Michael A. Arbib - University Professor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Biological Sciences, and Psychology at the University of Southern California.

Elnaz Ghazi -  actively working as professor (Docente a Contratto) at Master of Neuroesthetics in department of Medicine and Surgery ( Medical Systems) at Tor Vergata University of Rome in Italy.

Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo - President and founder of NeuroLandscape. She has a Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture and Urban Ecology from the University of Porto (Portugal) and is a researcher at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore.

Organizers

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Chair of Spatial Urban Transformation
Research project Sensing Streetscapes

This symposium was a part of  MEDIA ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE 2020

JUNE 24TH · 29TH: WORKSHOPS
JUNE 30TH · JULY 2ND: ONLINE CONFERENCE
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