In this episode of the Happitecture Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Troy Glover, a leading researcher in placemaking and its profound impact on social connectedness, wellbeing, and community life. Dr. Glover is the Director of the Healthy Communities Research Network at the University of Waterloo and has dedicated his career to understanding how the built environment fosters (or hinders) meaningful social interactions.

Placemaking isn’t just about aesthetics or urban planning—it’s about creating places that support belonging, health, and community vitality. We’ll explore the intersection of design, policy, and psychology to uncover how we can design better cities, campuses, and workplaces that truly serve the people who use them.

Tune in for insights into:

• Why placemaking matters for our health and happiness.
• The role of social infrastructure in community resilience.
• The impact of third places on social cohesion.
• Practical ways to foster inclusive and participatory design.

If you're passionate about the built environment and how it shapes our lives, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

References:

⁠A third place in the everyday lives of people living with cancer: Functions of Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto⁠

⁠The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness⁠ by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz

For more information on this, or any other episodes of the Happitecture Podcast, you can find us at https://www.happitecture.com.

Thanks to our sponsor Khora Architecture + Interiors https://www.khoradesign.ca/