The Role of Bluespaces for Well-Being and Mental Health. Rivers as Catalysts for the Quality of Urban Life

The recognition of urban rivers’ relevance on urban environment and urban planning and political decision-making was achieved in the late twentieth century. However, “concrete curtains”, roads, or heavy traffic still block many of these natural elements. With the COVID-19 pandemic, mental illness problems gained preponderance in health but also in new urban intervention projects. However, regarding this theme, some taboos persist, and these new interventions do not systematically apply approaches linked with mental well-being. Urban regeneration efforts to revitalise waterfronts have been essential for citizens’ quality of life. It is known that regardless of the river’s route, shape, or size, it can act as a catalyst for population well-being. Therefore, with higher public consciousness, bluespaces are a collective urban asset that provides comfort and promotes greater spatial justice. Starting from the foundations of public space creation, through the lenses of neurourbanism and urban planning and designing, this chapter intends to open the discussion to a new approach of planning that recognises bluespaces as a critical factor in the population’s quality of life and, particularly, their mental health.