THE FORMULA FOR HAPPINESS: URBAN PLANNING ASPECTS

The interaction between all the functional elements of urban development within community centres, residential groups, neighbourhoods or districts is complex and multifaceted. Physical, technical, architectural and spatial characteristics are the basis for evaluating planning systems, but the main thing is the human assessment of the level of comfort. This includes people's perception of the living environment, availability of vital resources, waste disposal, ease of use, and management of the functional use of the territory. In this system of human values that relate to the human environment, two groups of factors can be distinguished that can be components of happiness: the first group combines purely individual family needs and relates to the living environment (apartment, house, adjacent territory), and the second group includes urban spaces, a small part of the city. The components of happiness have been studied by scientists and organisations from various fields, including psychology, sociology, economics, urban studies and neuroscience. The idea of measuring happiness as an indicator of well-being arose from the realisation that economic indicators, such as gross domestic product (GDP), do not provide a complete picture of people's quality of life and well-being. The purpose of the article is to study the issue of creating a comfortable urban environment, first of all, to consider the issue of forming a happy personality in the urban space. The article raises the question of the level of comfort that should be present in the urban environment for a person to have a certain ‘level of happiness’. The article identifies the main factors that influence the ‘level of happiness’ of city residents, namely comfort, safety, environmental hygiene, functionality, and psychological compatibility. The main urban planning aspects that determine the ‘level of happiness’ are also highlighted, namely: accessibility of public spaces, inclusiveness of the environment, environmental sustainability, mobility and transport. In general, a comfortable urban environment can bring city residents closer to happiness, positively affect their well-being, comfort and satisfaction.