People more stressed in areas with high rises, study finds

An extraordinary new study has suggested taller buildings may be leading to greater stress among people on the Gold Coast. Here’s what it means.

An extraordinary new study has found the Gold Coast’s high-rise buildings may be making people more stressed.

The research by Assistant Professor of Psychology Oliver Baumann and Briana Brooks-Cederqvist from Bond University tracked the heart rates and brain frequency of 28 people in both low and high density parts of the city.

Study participants, who were also given questionnaires to complete, were found to be relaxed in quiet streets, while their hearts beat faster among high-rises.

“Previous studies of how people respond to urban environments have relied largely on self-reporting by the participants, and that always leaves room for potential internal biases,” Professor Baumann said.

“Having this physical evidence alongside the questionnaires meant we could clearly see the impact that the different environments were having on people’s stress and comfort levels in an objective way.”

A view of the Gold Coast skyline at Surfers Paradise.

Professor Baumann said that in lower density areas people’s subjective feelings of comfort were increased, negative mood was decreased, and their heart rates were reduced, showing they were more relaxed.

In addition, their brain activity – measured by an electroencephalogram (EEG) headband device – showed them in a more contemplative and creative state of mind.

“There are a couple of possible explanations for this,” Dr Baumann said.

“In more closely built or condensed areas, people can perceive them as more dangerous because there is less open space and more traffic which can increase their vigilance and fear response.

“In a more open area, these feelings are reduced, and that’s what we saw in the brain activity measures.”

Assistant Professor of Psychology Oliver Baumann.

Professor Baumann said the study’s findings would help developers design buildings that people wanted to live in, adding value to projects and ensuring they last long into the future.

“Creating places that we know people will want to live and then want to stay in can help reduce the risks that come with large financial investments and increase their long-term value,” he said.

“It could be particularly valuable for public infrastructure like social housing when we want to ensure the money is spent well.”

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