Introduction

In recent decades, rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and population growth have led to profound transformations in cities worldwide, creating unprecedented environmental, social, and psychological challenges. Among these, deteriorating air quality, urban heat, noise pollution, and the increasing alienation of people from natural environments have severely affected citizens’ mental well-being. The urban lifestyle—often characterized by crowding, limited access to nature, and high levels of sensory and cognitive stress—has been shown to elevate anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Therefore, the creation and enhancement of urban green spaces have become essential strategies for promoting sustainable urban living and psychological resilience.

Urban green spaces, as vital components of urban infrastructure, not only provide ecological services such as air purification, temperature regulation, and biodiversity preservation but also play a critical role in improving mental health and quality of life. Within this spectrum, eco-parks have emerged as innovative urban typologies that integrate ecological, recreational, and educational functions. They offer opportunities for citizens—particularly young people—to engage with nature through multisensory, interactive, and socially cohesive experiences. These spaces can mitigate the psychological burdens of urban living by promoting relaxation, creativity, and environmental awareness.

In Iran, particularly in metropolitan areas like Tehran, the accelerating pace of urban growth and technological development has intensified environmental pollution and weakened the human–nature relationship. Pardisan Park, one of Tehran’s largest and most significant ecological parks, represents a critical case for evaluating how landscape qualities can foster mental health benefits. Despite its ecological and educational potential, limited research has examined the relationship between its spatial design features and users’ psychological well-being. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the landscape capacities of Pardisan Park in enhancing the mental health of young adults, identifying key design and management variables that influence emotional and cognitive well-being.

This research is grounded in the theoretical framework of environmental psychology and restorative landscape design, emphasizing the biophilic connection between humans and nature. The study posits that well-designed green spaces—with sufficient diversity, accessibility, spatial flexibility, and opportunities for play and participation—can function as restorative environments that reduce stress and encourage positive affect. Hence, this study contributes to both academic knowledge and practical guidelines for designing urban landscapes that support mental health in rapidly developing cities.

Materials and Methods

This research employed a mixed-methods approach (quantitative–qualitative) to comprehensively explore both the perceptual and behavioral dimensions of young visitors’ experiences in Pardisan Park. The study population consisted of individuals aged 20–34 years, representing a key demographic group for understanding urban mental health dynamics due to their active lifestyle and frequent park usage.

Qualitative Phase

In the qualitative phase, a combination of guided field observations and semi-structured interviews was conducted with young park visitors. The observations focused on spatial behavior, interaction patterns, and engagement with natural and built elements of the park. The interviews explored participants’ emotional responses, perceptions of comfort and safety, and sense of place attachment. Collected qualitative data were analyzed through thematic coding in three stages—open, axial, and selective—to extract recurrent categories related to landscape qualities and mental-health experiences. These emergent categories then informed the design of the quantitative questionnaire.

Quantitative Phase

In the quantitative phase, data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed based on qualitative findings and relevant literature. The survey included multiple sections assessing:

Perceived landscape qualities (spatial flexibility, diversity and complexity, gamification of natural elements, connection with open spaces, opportunities for play and participation, furniture and layout quality, biodiversity, and color/surprise).

Mental-health indicators, including perceived stress reduction, emotional balance, and psychological well-being.

A random sample of 200 young participants was selected using Cochran’s formula to ensure representativeness. Ethical principles such as voluntary participation, informed consent, and confidentiality were strictly observed.

Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS, employing descriptive and inferential statistics. Reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha (α > 0.7 for all scales), and sampling adequacy was confirmed through KMO and Bartlett’s tests. Subsequently, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify latent dimensions of landscape quality. Pearson correlation and multiple regression (ENTER method) were applied to test relationships between independent variables (landscape qualities) and dependent variables (mental-health indicators).

Results and Discussion
Descriptive Analysis

The demographic analysis revealed a balanced gender distribution (≈51.8% men, 48.2% women). Educationally, the largest group held bachelor’s degrees (≈38.8%), followed by associate degrees (22.4%), diplomas (21.2%), postgraduate degrees (11.8%), and below-diploma levels (5.9%). Employment status included 49.4% unemployed, 28.2% employed, and 22.4% self-employed individuals. The average participant age was 32.93 years (SD = 8.93), ranging from approximately 18 to 55 years. These findings suggest that the park attracts a diverse young audience across social and educational backgrounds.

Inferential Analysis

Correlation results showed positive and significant relationships between all identified landscape-quality dimensions and youth mental-health indicators (p < .05/.01). This indicates that each spatial or perceptual quality contributes meaningfully to psychological restoration and emotional balance. However, the strength of associations varied across factors.

The multiple regression analysis produced R = .756 and Adjusted R² = .494, with a significant ANOVA (p < .001), suggesting that the selected variables explain nearly 49% of the variance in mental health outcomes. The standardized beta coefficients identified the most influential predictors as:

Attractiveness and surprise (β = .447)

Play and participation (β = .438)

Furniture quality and layout (β = .402)

Connection with open spaces (β = .382)

Spatial flexibility (β = .294)

Diversity and complexity (β = .207)

Color use (β = .134)

Interestingly, while natural diversity and gamification of natural elements showed positive trends, they were not statistically significant predictors in this model—suggesting that users may respond more strongly to experiential and interactive qualities rather than purely ecological features.

Interpretation

The results demonstrate that aesthetic richness, social engagement opportunities, and perceptual stimulation are central to the restorative potential of urban parks. Features that encourage exploration, surprise, and participation enhance users’ emotional connection to the environment, thus reducing perceived stress and promoting a sense of vitality. The importance of furniture and spatial organization highlights the need for ergonomic, flexible, and inclusive design that supports both solitude and social gathering. Moreover, connectivity with surrounding open spaces strengthens the park’s ecological continuity and psychological accessibility, allowing visitors to perceive it as an integrated part of the urban landscape rather than an isolated enclave.

These findings align with global research emphasizing the biophilic design principle, which suggests that humans thrive in environments that mimic natural patterns of diversity, movement, and sensory engagement. In the context of Tehran—a city struggling with pollution, crowding, and limited green coverage—enhancing parks like Pardisan through these principles can serve as a practical approach to public mental health promotion.

Conclusion

The study confirms that urban landscape design can significantly influence the mental well-being of young citizens. In the case of Pardisan Park, seven key qualities—spatial flexibility, diversity and complexity, color and surprise, connection with open spaces, participatory play, and furniture and layout—were shown to have direct positive relationships with psychological outcomes such as stress reduction and emotional balance. The most powerful predictors were related to perceptual and social engagement, indicating that mental restoration in urban nature depends not only on greenery or biodiversity but also on how people interact with and experience these spaces.

Practically, the findings suggest that enhancing spatial flexibility (multiuse zones adaptable for various activities), visual and sensory diversity, and interactive design elements can significantly improve user satisfaction and mental resilience. Urban planners and landscape architects should therefore prioritize the integration of ecological and experiential design, ensuring that parks remain accessible, dynamic, and psychologically engaging. This includes providing shaded seating areas, interactive natural features, play zones for all ages, and pathways that invite exploration.

From a policy perspective, incorporating mental-health criteria into urban design guidelines can align environmental planning with public-health objectives. Collaborative efforts between architects, psychologists, ecologists, and local communities can ensure that future green spaces not only mitigate environmental issues but also function as therapeutic environments fostering social inclusion and well-being.

Ultimately, the enhancement of Pardisan Park’s landscape—through attention to perceptual richness, biodiversity, spatial adaptability, and social participation—can help reduce urban stress, cultivate environmental awareness, and advance the broader agenda of sustainable urban development. The research highlights that mental health is an integral part of environmental sustainability, and that cities investing in restorative green infrastructure are investing in the resilience and happiness of their citizens.