Our society will be as healthy as our homes

Abstract

This essay explores the relationship between dwelling architecture and mental health, with a particular focus on the housing constructed in Vienna and London between 1840 and 1919, during a period of unprecedented growth that followed the Industrial Revolution. Contemporary building standards guarantee that current dwelling architecture does not have a negative impact on the residents’ health. Moreover, the extensive research conducted in recent years on the relationship between architecture and mental health informs current housing design. However, since these practices are relatively new, understanding the impact of older housing on mental well-being is crucial in determining whether those apartments are still habitable. By examining the historical and architectural contexts of Viennese “Zinshäuser” and London’s Victorian houses, this study identifies key architectural elements present in these buildings, analyzes what caused specific dwelling architecture typologies to form, and explores how they can affect the mental health of their occupants today. To answer this final section, a comparative analysis of Vienna and London is conducted through a questionnaire, revealing disparities in housing conditions and their effects on residents’ mental health.