Urban planning, the built environment, and subjective well-being: A review of recent research advances

Research on how the built environment shapes subjective well-being has expanded rapidly since 2021, providing new insights for urban planning and policy. Yet, no review has synthesized major recent advances in this field. This narrative review synthesizes five categories of advances – (1) disruptions to urban life, (2) mobility and accessibility, (3) social and experiential dimensions, (4) planning paradigms and urban form, and (5) urban artificial intelligence (AI) – based on a pathways framework linking the built environment to subjective well-being. Recent evidence highlights the importance of walkability, proximity, green space, and housing quality in supporting well-being, particularly under conditions of constrained mobility or when time spent at home increases. A composite of meeting places can foster social interaction and urban vitality, promote inclusion, and help combat loneliness. Public transport investments, including new metro systems and high-speed rail, are associated with social interaction, prevention of exclusion, and subjective well-being. Access to a private car may enhance activity participation and opportunities, particularly in car-oriented environments, while producing important equity and sustainability externalities. Architecture and public space design influence emotional well-being, with traditional styles linked to positive emotional responses. The 15-minute city, urban vitality, high-rise living, telework, and urban AI represent urban concepts and digital developments that transform urban planning and subjective well-being. The outcomes of the review strengthen and enrich the pathways between built environment and subjective well-being and raise attention to inequalities between population groups and contexts.