Background

I joined the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) and Spatial and Analytical Modelling (SAM) as a Post-doctoral Research Assistant at the start of 2019, having completed my PhD in Urban Science from the University of Warwick. 

My main area of interest is in healthy urban design, in particular the relationship between greenspace and mental wellbeing. I use mostly geo-spatial and mapping methods to examine different characterisations of urban greenspace, including amounts, distribution, accessibility and types, to identify which features may be most important for individual mental health. Through my work, I also test planning assumptions and guidelines, with the aim of making evidence-based recommendations for sustainable future cities. 

During my post here at Newcastle, I hope to expand my research to further consider the broader issues of social inequality and urban migration.

Prior to undertaking my PhD, I studied an MEng in Civil Engineering, followed by an MSc in Data Analytics, both at the University of Warwick. 

I also enjoy travel, baking, yoga, running, reading and cats. 

Research

With a background in Civil Engineering, I have become increasingly interested in the benefits of good urban design. I am currently a researcher at Newcastle University, applying spatial methods to investigate the mental wellbeing benefits of urban greenspace.  

My PhD, titled, “Bringing cities to life: the relationship between urban greenspace and mental wellbeing” was undertaken within Warwick Institute for the Science of Cities  (WISC) at the University of Warwick. I researched how urban greenspaces are associated with improved mental health, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial methods to analyse large UK data sets, exploring which characteristics and measures of greenspace seem to be most beneficial to individual mental wellbeing. I aimed to make health-based recommendations for urban greenspace design.

Publications

• Kemp G, Houlden V. The Plant Whisperer. Arrow 2020.
• Franklin RS, Houlden V, Robinson C, Arribas-Bel D, Delmelle EC, Demsar U, Miller HJ, O'Sullivan D. Who Counts? Gender, Gatekeeping, and Quantitative Human Geography. The Professional Geographer 2020, epub ahead of print.
• Houlden VH, de Albuquerque JP, Weich S, Jarvis S. Does nature make us happier? A spatial error model of greenspace types and mental wellbeing. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science 2019, epub ahead of print.
• Houlden V, Porto de Albuquerque J, Weich S, Jarvis S. A spatial analysis of proximate greenspace and mental wellbeing in London. Applied Geography 2019, 109, 102036.
• Houlden V, Weich S, Porto de Albuquerque J, Jarvis S, Rees K. The relationship between greenspace and the mental wellbeing of adults: a systematic review. PLoS ONE 2018, 13(9), e0203000.
• Houlden V, Weich S, Jarvis S. A cross-sectional analysis of green space prevalence and mental wellbeing in England. BMC Public Health 2017, 17, 460.