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Community Design

Community design refers to all the elements of a community that are human-made and form the physical characteristics of that community. It includes:

  • buildings, such as schools, workplaces, and homes,
  • roads,
  • parks and recreation areas,
  • transportation systems, and
  • places to buy food.

Well-designed communities can improve public health. The design and maintenance of our communities may be related to:

  • chronic diseases,
  • obesity,
  • injury rates,
  • mental health, and
  • the effects of climate change.

Through design, communities can attempt to offer residents:

Bicyclist riding on street
  • opportunities to incorporate routine physical activity into our everyday lives,
  • cleaner air,
  • lower risk of injury from vehicle accidents, and
  • decreased effects of climate change.
 

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