Dive Brief:

• Recent research points to the possibility of tall buildings having a negative effect on mental health, according to Curbed San Francisco.

• Canadian researcher Collin Ellard, who has studied architecture and design's impact on mental health, used a virtual reality program to test the effect of various urban scenes on participants' emotions. In Ellard's study, scenes with tall buildings produced the most negative results.

• Other factors such as a building's facade design, the presence of greenery and the arrangement of the streetscape also factor into the relationship between architecture and mental health.

Dive Insight:

Through various studies, researchers have theorized that dense, high-rise environments can seem oppressive to people. While connections have been found between city dwelling and increased instances of depression or other mental illness, the relationship between mental health and building size alone isn't conclusive.

Some architects have explored the idea of a "sweet spot" when it comes to a structure's density, balancing space needs with environmental impact. 

The alternative low-rise, lower-density spaces can be hard to justify in a market that's already squeezed for inventory. As more towers rise across the U.S., builders are looking to increase the number of available living spaces from the ground up.

One way to balance the impact of building up is to rethink the interior. The U.S. is seeing increased interest in wellness-minded spaces, which take the emphasis off of height and put it on building interiors. With amenities such as yoga and meditation rooms, green space and daylighting, structures of all sizes can provide a health-conscious and sustainable environment.