In this episode of Crosswalks & Crossroads, Gabriela sits down with Kia to explore the powerful intersection between public health, urban planning, and urban design. Drawing from her work in the public health space, Kia unpacks the many ways our urban environments shape us - physically, psychologically, and socially.

From advertising and signage to building height, street layouts, and transport systems, the conversation examines how cities impact our wellbeing at every scale: from the big-picture urban system right down to the individual street and building level. Kia also discusses the broad range of public health measures used to understand these impacts, including infectious diseases, chronic pain, cardiovascular disease, environmental exposure, and more.

Together, the episode highlights just how interdisciplinary and interconnected urban issues really are. Whether discussing transport poverty, accessibility, or environmental design, the conversation reveals how challenges often viewed through a single lens can have deep and lasting public health consequences. It’s a thoughtful exploration of why healthier cities require collaboration across planning, transport, health, design, and policy - and what could be possible when we start seeing those connections more clearly.

Show Notes

• Stephan Heblich & Alex Trew & Yanos Zylberberg, 2021. "East-Side Story: Historical Pollution and Persistent Neighborhood Sorting," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(5), pages 1508-1552. https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/275585078/713101.pdf
• https://www.motu.nz/about-us/public-policy-seminars/events/three-urban-economic-short-courses
• Health and air pollution in New Zealand study. https://environment.govt.nz/publications/health-and-air-pollution-in-new-zealand-2016-findings-and-implications/
• Garden Cities of Tomorrow ttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/46134/46134-h/46134-h.htm
• The relationship between greenspace exposure and telomere length https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723060795?via%3Dihub

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