Do you feel happier around colourful buildings and green spaces?
Polls
22nd June 2022
GREENERY and colour in an urban environment can make people happier, a recent study has found.
It has been known for a long time that colour can lift our mood. It is why things designed to attract us are often brightly coloured, like fairgrounds, window displays or advertisements. Since the pandemic began, we’ve also become much more aware of the importance of spending time in green spaces. Now, a team of scientists has shown that having greenery and colour in cities can not only make us happier, but calmer as well.
The team from Lille in France used VR (virtual reality) headsets to test how people reacted to different environments. The 36 volunteers walked on the spot while the researchers tweaked eye trackers on the headsets to change what they were seeing.
Starting from a concrete, glass and metal cityscape, the researchers added plants and colours such as pink and yellow. Then the scientists noted the blink rates of the volunteers to see what attracted them most. The volunteers were asked to complete a questionnaire about how they felt, too. The results showed that they walked more slowly and kept their heads high, looking around instead of looking at the ground, in the greener, more colourful environments. That indicated that they were more at ease.
However, the study also showed that colour alone did not have the same calming effects as greenery and, therefore, could not be used to replace plants and flowers. But adding coloured paint to walls is inexpensive and so can be a useful tool to increase the impact of the greenery.
While the study was small, and there has been some negative reaction to the methods used, it adds to the growing amount of research on the value of plants and colour in the creation of urban landscapes.
24 Comments
jumpybunny · 3 years ago
Whenever I see buildings that are brightly coloured, or a big green park, it always makes me feel better! Some more green spaces and colour would be brilliant.
lig · 2 years ago
I feel happier in more colourful and greener spaces because it is a lot more interesting than if everything is the same colour and there are no plants anywhere.
ivansp2011 · 2 years ago
It doesn't really change how I feel.
lkb10 · 2 years ago
Colourful buildings make me feel happy whenever I walk or drive past them. Colour is a definite privilege to the world.
mistywater · 2 years ago
I do because it feels so much more relaxing rather than stuffy old cities and towns. Also, it really brightens up a poorer area.
randompeep · 2 years ago
Just like sunshine brightens up your day, colours lift everyone's mood!
swirly · 2 years ago
I fell happier round colourful building because it looks exciting and makes me feel happy!
robro · 2 years ago
No, I don't feel any different as I don't usually look at buildings when I walk to school.
max1234 · 2 years ago
I just feel better in colourful and green spaces because the colour just makes you so cheerful and green spaces make me feel that we are actually helping the environment thrive.
mangogirl1 · 2 years ago
I do feel happier because when I feel stressed or anxious, the contemporary, bright feel to the place makes me feel more at ease.
newskid9 · 2 years ago
😀😃😄😁😆🥹😅😂🤣🥲☺️😊😇🙂🙃😉😌😍🥰😘😋😛😝😜🤪🤩
HAPPY
tiger.star · 2 years ago
I much prefer being in spaces where there is actual nature; plants and flowers, not paint. In cities, even just letting the weeds grow would add some colour and greenery.
foxesrock1 · 2 years ago
DEFINETLY! coulorful things are so much more exciting than no plants and no colour!
randomico · 2 years ago
If I'm actaully happy, I would be smiling no matter what the colour
bluecat18 · 2 years ago
It always lifts my mood to see vibrant and bright colors! I love green areas as well; we could definitely use more of those.
snowbear · 2 years ago
When I see colourful buildings it makes me smile and green spaces just make the wold more beautiful
catlover15 · 2 years ago
I don’t think it makes much of a difference - I would personally prefer black and white buildings to colourful ones.
gkoc · 2 years ago
When I see colourful things and buildings it makes me happy. I choose yes because I absolutely love colourful things and greenery!!🌲
m02b237 · 2 years ago
I'd like to see some bright colors! We are lucky to have them, so let's use them!
uniquestar · 2 years ago
Greener spaces feel more welcoming
ninja_don · 2 years ago
It doesn’t matter weather their colourful or not if they look horrible however green spaces should always be included.
lilzo · 2 years ago
I don't feel happier in green space like a fell but I do fell happier with colourful buildings
puncho1567 · 2 years ago
I dont really feel any different but yeah it would be nice to have more colerful buildings although I live in a place which dont have many tall buildings.
allegrag · 2 years ago
I feel happier because when I see bright colours I feel like I’m free and that and all the dangers are behind me.