Design for well-being: from disadvantaged to satisfactory built environment, building places for vulnerable communities

Purpose This study aims to explore the potential scope for physical improvements in disadvantaged neighbourhoods by identifying appropriate architectural and urban design solutions that enhance psychological and biological well-being. For this purpose, a case study from Beirut, Lebanon, called Sabra and Shatila, is examined. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts qualitative methods, including fieldwork and ethnographic approaches, to examine the built environment characteristics and residents’ behavioural patterns. Additionally, a paper-based survey is conducted to assess residents’ subjective feelings and perceptions, as well as to collect data on their visions for the future transformation of their neighbourhood. Furthermore, the study analyses five successful, low-cost interventions documented in reports and articles, drawing design lessons that address spatial challenges and contribute to improving residents’ psychological and biological well-being. Findings The research identifies the role of architectural and urban design tools in shaping and influencing the quality of life in built environments and also provides an in-depth analysis of the physical characteristics of the case study and the behavioural patterns of its residents, revealing how this built environment component shapes social interactions, perceptions, and overall well-being. The survey provides data that captures residents’ feelings, perceptions, and visions for the future. Furthermore, the study identifies specific design strategies that effectively address spatial challenges in degraded built environments and demonstrates how the implementation of these strategies positively impacts users' state of well-being. Research limitations/implications The examined neighbourhood possesses unique social and contextual sensitivities, which may limit the applicability of the findings to other contexts. Bureaucratic hurdles impose limitations on the adoption of advanced technologies and tools that could enhance the accuracy of numerical data collection. While the qualitative data provides valuable insights, they are potentially influenced by the subjectivity of both the researcher’s and participants. Nevertheless, the findings can inform urban policy development that integrates sustainable design principles with the well-being of residents in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, which may impact future urban development in Beirut. Originality/value Unprecedented global challenges have highlighted the importance of well-being, emphasising the impact of the built environment on human emotions and cognition. However, in Lebanon, recent crises have shifted the focus towards immediate challenges, constrained by limited financial resources, at the expense of well-being and development in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. This shift has led to further deterioration, undermining the well-being of its residents, who are most prone to crises. This study seeks to revive the discourse on the profound impact of the built environment on well-being and represents the first examination of this relationship in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.