Therapeutic Proximity: Rethinking Accessibility Through Environmental Psychology and Daoist Urbanism

Abstract

This paper reconceptualises proximity and permeability by integrating perspectives from environmental psychology and Daoist philosophy. Challenging conventional planning approaches that define accessibility primarily through spatial distance, transport networks, and physical connectivity, the study argues that accessibility is also shaped by perception, emotion, cultural meaning, and lived experience. The research draws on three practice-based case studies: citywalks in Hangzhou that explored happiness and accessibility through environmental psychology and cultural narratives; Tianmei’s World Academy, a decentralised cross-cultural educational platform functioning as a “network of classrooms”; and research on night trains as regenerative infrastructures that support reflection, intercultural encounters, and wellbeing. Using a reflexive and interdisciplinary methodology, the study introduces the conceptual frameworks of the “Invisible Backpack,” the “Puzzle Mindset,” and the “Center of My Environment” as tools for understanding how individuals experience inclusion and accessibility. The findings suggest that proximity should be understood as a felt sense of connection rather than mere spatial nearness, while permeability extends beyond physical openness to include psychological, cultural, and relational dimensions. The paper concludes that planning for accessibility requires environments that foster belonging, safety, wellbeing, and cultural resonance, proposing the concept of “therapeutic proximity” as a framework for more inclusive and human-centred urban planning.