Skip to content
WSP WSP
WSP WSP
  • Who we are
    We are the sum of our collective passion, vision and expertise.

    Discover our people, purpose and stories that have helped shape the organisation we are today and are inspiring the one we will become.

    Who we are
    • Our Story
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • NZ Leadership Team
    • Our impact
    Corporate Responsibility
    • Communities
    • Corporate Governance
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Ethics and Integrity
    • Health and Safety
    • Sustainability
    Featured content
    thn-maori-hub
    Māori Business and Advisory Services

    We support and promote the benefits of Tiriti based partnerships for the benefit of…

  • What We Do
    We shape the communities of tomorrow and help society thrive.

    With an intimate sense of local realities, we look at complex problems from different angles and deliver solutions that break paradigms.


    View All

    • Sectors
    • Services
    • Projects
    What We Do
    • Property and Buildings
    • Transport
    • Earth and Environment
    • Digital
    • Energy
    • Water
    • Research
    Property and Buildings
    • Acoustics, Noise and Vibration
    • Architecture
    • Asset Management
    • Building Compliance and BWOF
    • Commercial and Mixed Use
    • Education
    • Existing Buildings
    • Green Building Design
    • Healthcare
    • Mechanical, Electrical and Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
    • Property Consultancy
    • Safety, Health and Environment Consultancy Service
    • Structural Engineering
    Transport
    • Asset Management
    • Aviation
    • Bridge Design
    • Landscape and Urban Design
    • Light Rail Transit
    • Maritime
    • Rail Design
    • Road Design
    • Surveying and GIS
    • Transport Planning
    Earth and Environment
    • Contaminated Land
    • Environmental Management
    • Geotechnical and Ground Engineering
    • Landscape and Urban Design
    • Occupational Hygiene
    • Resource Management Planning
    • Sustainability and Climate Change
    Digital
    • Building Information Modelling - BIM
    • Surveying Mapping and GIS
    Energy
    • Energy Management
    • Hydrogen Energy
    • Power Generation and Distribution
    Water
    • Climate Adaption and Sustainability
    • Environmental Training Centre
    • Primary Industries
    • Stormwater and Flood Risk Management​
    • Water and Wastewater Conveyance
    • Water and Wastewater Treatment
    Research
    • Built Environment
    • Environmental Effects
    • Human Centred Design
    • Instrumentation Monitoring
    • Laboratories
    • Materials Testing and Analysis
    • Research Design
    • Resilience to Hazards
    • Socio-economic Research
    • Wind Tunnel Testing
    Featured content
    thn_Sustainable Places
    Sustainable Places

    We’re in the business of creating engaging and resilient places for people.

  • Insights
    Our experts offer compelling insights that provide new perspectives.

    Read inspiring articles that challenge the status quo by reframing current issues, sparking fresh conversations and finding new solutions.

    View all
    Insights
    • Climate
    • Mobility
    • Places
    • Resources
    • Society
    • Technology
    Featured content
    WSP and Mahi a Rongo | The Helen Clark Foundation Research

    WSP has been partnering with the Helen Clark Foundation since October 2019 to take a…

  • Careers
    What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

    With us, you can. Make your best impact with WSP, where the culture and people also make it the best work of your life.

    Find out more
    Careers
    • Job opportunities
    • Early Career
    • Experienced Professionals
    • Why join us?
  • Who we are
    • Our Story
    • Corporate Responsibility
      • Who we are
      • Accountable for Tomorrow
        • Communities
        • Corporate Governance
        • Diversity and Inclusion
        • Ethics and Integrity
        • Health and Safety
        • Sustainability
    • NZ Leadership Team
    • Our impact
  • What We Do
    • Property and Buildings
      • What We Do
      • Expertise at your service
        • Acoustics, Noise and Vibration
        • Architecture
        • Asset Management
        • Building Compliance and BWOF
        • Commercial and Mixed Use
        • Education
        • Existing Buildings
        • Green Building Design
        • Healthcare
        • Mechanical, Electrical and Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
        • Property Consultancy
        • Safety, Health and Environment Consultancy Service
        • Structural Engineering
    • Transport
      • What We Do
      • Expertise at your service
        • Asset Management
        • Aviation
        • Bridge Design
        • Landscape and Urban Design
        • Light Rail Transit
        • Maritime
        • Procurement and Contract
        • Rail Design
        • Road Design
        • Surveying and GIS
        • Transport Planning
    • Earth and Environment
      • What We Do
      • Expertise at your service
        • Contaminated Land
        • Environmental Management
        • Geotechnical and Ground Engineering
        • Landscape and Urban Design
        • Occupational Hygiene
        • Resource Management Planning
        • Sustainability and Climate Change
    • Digital
      • What We Do
      • Expertise at your service
        • Building Information Modelling - BIM
        • Surveying Mapping and GIS
    • Energy
      • What We Do
      • Expertise at your service
        • Energy Management
        • Hydrogen Energy
        • Power Generation and Distribution
    • Water
      • What We Do
      • Expertise at your service
        • Climate Adaption and Sustainability
        • Environmental Training Centre
        • Primary Industries
        • Stormwater and Flood Risk Management​
        • Water and Wastewater Conveyance
        • Water and Wastewater Treatment
        • Water Asset Management
    • Research
      • What We Do
      • Expertise at your service
        • Built Environment
        • Environmental Effects
        • Human Centred Design
        • Instrumentation Monitoring
        • Laboratories
        • Materials Testing and Analysis
        • Measurement Devices
        • Research Design
        • Resilience to Hazards
        • Socio-economic Research
        • Transport Safety
        • Wind Tunnel Testing
  • Insights
    • Climate
    • Mobility
    • Places
    • Resources
    • Society
    • Technology
  • Careers
    • Job opportunities
    • Early Career
    • Experienced Professionals
    • Why join us?
Select your language and location

We are locally dedicated with international scale.

International
  • Global
    English — Français
Americas
  • Brazil
    Português
  • Canada
    English — Français
  • Chile
    Español
  • Colombia
    Español
  • Mexico
    Español
  • Panama
    Español
  • Peru
    Español
  • United States
    English
Africa
  • South Africa
    English
Asia
  • China
    中文(简体) — English
  • Hong Kong
    English
  • India
    English
  • Indonesia
    English
  • Malaysia
    English
  • Philippines
    English
  • Singapore
    English
  • South Korea
    한국어(대한민국) — English
  • Thailand
    English
Europe
  • Denmark
    Dansk
  • Finland
    Suomi
  • France
    Français
  • Germany
    Deutsch
  • Hungary
    English
  • Italy
    Italiano
  • Netherlands
    Nederlands
  • Norway
    Norsk
  • Poland
    Polski
  • Romania
    English
  • Spain
    Español
  • Sweden
    Svenska
  • Switzerland
    Deutsch — Français
  • Turkey
    Turkish
  • United Kingdom
    English
Middle East
  • Kuwait
    English
  • Oman
    English
  • Qatar
    English
  • Saudi Arabia
    English
  • United Arab Emirates
    English
Oceania
  • Australia
    English
  • New Zealand
    English
Worldwide offices
    • Investors
      Discover our diverse business, financial results and strategic ambitions.

      We are committed to delivering sustainable value to our shareholders and exceptional professional services to our clients.

      Find out more
      Investors
      • Corporate governance
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
      • Stock information
      • Shareholder information
      • Presentations and events
      Corporate governance
      • Audit committee
      • Board of directors
      • Business Conduct Hotline
      • Constating documents
      • Governance documents
      • Governance ethics and compensation committee
      • Mandates
      Reports and filings
      • AIF
      • Annual
      • Information circular
      • Quarterly
      • SEDAR+ filings
      • Sustainability
      Stock information
      • Analyst coverage
      Shareholder information
      • Acquisitions
      • Dividends
      • FAQ
      Featured content
      Thn-Web-IR-2025-Q1-Results
      WSP's Q1 2025 Results

      We released our 2025 first quarter results on May 7, 2025 after market close.

    • Investors
      • Corporate governance
        • Investors
        • Corporate Governance
          • Audit committee
          • Board of directors
          • Business Conduct Hotline
          • Constating documents
          • Governance documents
          • Governance ethics and compensation committee
          • Mandates
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
        • Investors
        • REPORTS & FILINGS
          • AIF
          • Annual
          • Information circular
          • Quarterly
          • SEDAR+ filings
          • Sustainability
      • Stock information
        • Investors
        • Stock Information
          • Analyst coverage
      • Shareholder information
        • Investors
        • Shareholder Information
          • Acquisitions
          • Dividends
          • Drip
          • FAQ
      • Presentations and events
    • News
    • Contact us
      We are dedicated to our local communities and driven by global talent.

      Contact us to find out how our diversified offering, world-class expertise and geographical reach can assist you in achieving your vision.

      Contact Us

      Follow us

      Contact us
      • Request a proposal
      • Send a message
      • Find an expert
      • Offices
      Featured content
      Our Offices

      With offices throughout the world, you can connect with one close to you.

    • Investors
      Discover our diverse business, financial results and strategic ambitions.

      We are committed to delivering sustainable value to our shareholders and exceptional professional services to our clients.

      Find out more
      Investors
      • Corporate governance
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
      • Stock information
      • Shareholder information
      • Presentations and events
      Corporate governance
      • Audit committee
      • Board of directors
      • Business Conduct Hotline
      • Constating documents
      • Governance documents
      • Governance ethics and compensation committee
      • Mandates
      Reports and filings
      • AIF
      • Annual
      • Information circular
      • Quarterly
      • SEDAR+ filings
      • Sustainability
      Stock information
      • Analyst coverage
      Shareholder information
      • Acquisitions
      • Dividends
      • FAQ
      Featured content
      Thn-Web-IR-2025-Q1-Results
      WSP's Q1 2025 Results

      We released our 2025 first quarter results on May 7, 2025 after market close.

    • Investors
      • Corporate governance
        • Investors
        • Corporate Governance
          • Audit committee
          • Board of directors
          • Business Conduct Hotline
          • Constating documents
          • Governance documents
          • Governance ethics and compensation committee
          • Mandates
      • Press releases
      • Reports and filings
        • Investors
        • REPORTS & FILINGS
          • AIF
          • Annual
          • Information circular
          • Quarterly
          • SEDAR+ filings
          • Sustainability
      • Stock information
        • Investors
        • Stock Information
          • Analyst coverage
      • Shareholder information
        • Investors
        • Shareholder Information
          • Acquisitions
          • Dividends
          • Drip
          • FAQ
      • Presentations and events
    • News
    • Contact us
      • Request a proposal
      • Send a message
      • Find an expert
      • Offices
  1. We are WSP
  2. Insights
  3. Planning out loneliness

Planning out loneliness - Rejuvenating Greymouth

The built environment of the neighbourhoods we live in either enables or hinders social interactions. With social isolation and loneliness, a growing trend, Jack Earl WSP Urban Designer, looks at new approaches to foster connection. 
map marker New Zealand | Monday, 28 September 2020
Reading Time : 3:00
The history of urban planning highlights how built environments in Aotearoa fail to facilitate social interactions. For instance, urban planning during the 20th century in America was greatly influenced by automobile movement.

Early examples of this urban planning include Frank Lloyd Wright’s Broadacre City project, which became the traditional American suburb (and subsequently ours), driving people out of cities and into sprawling and disconnected suburbs. Additionally, Robert Moses promoted the development of highways, which severed viable and lively existing urban communities and neighbourhoods.

Today the movement of the car today still shapes and severs the built environment. As a result we’ve inherited a legacy of poor integration and limited access to surrounding land uses, inadequate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and a lack of inviting social spaces. 
Download whitepaper

More on this subject

thn-public-transport-loneliness

July 2025

Alone Together

New Zealand
svg-icon Helen Clark Foundation
Resilience , Society
thn-still-alone-together

July 2025

Still Alone Together

New Zealand
svg-icon Helen Clark Foundation
Resilience , Society
thn-cultural asset management Maori

May 2025

Nelson City Council's ground-breaking approach to culturally inclusive asset management

New Zealand
svg-icon Helen Clark Foundation
Society
thnHealthier Products Global Benefits

April 2025 | 5 Minutes

Healthier Products Global Benefits

Global
svg-icon Blog
Society , Resilience
AAM-2-Article-Thumbnail

April 2025

Adopting Advanced Air Mobility

Global
svg-icon White Paper
Energy Transition , Mobility , Resilience , Resources , Technology
TOD-2-WP-Thumbnail

March 2025

Transit-Oriented Communities Advance Sustainable Cities

Global
svg-icon White Paper
Decarbonization , Energy Transition , Mobility , Places , Resilience , Society , Technology
Img-Planning-Paradox-Thumb

March 2025

Navigating the Built Environment Planning Paradox

Global
svg-icon Feature
Climate , Decarbonization , Energy Transition , Mobility , Places , Resilience , Resources , Society , Technology
thn-website-insights-from-the-ground-up

January 2025 | 8 minutes

From the Ground Up: Building Nature into Transport Design

Global
svg-icon Feature
Climate , Resources
thn-Strategic Project Management

January 2025 | 6 minutes

Strategic Project Management: Navigating Regulatory Compliance and Stakeholder Expectations for Success

Global
svg-icon Feature
Resources
Thn-Energy-transition-insights

December 2024 | 7 minutes

The energy question to which we already have (most of) the answers

Global
svg-icon Feature
Energy Transition , Resources
thn-Water Conservation in Food Processing

December 2024

Doing More with Less: Water Conservation in Food Processing

Canada
svg-icon Blog
Climate , Resilience , Resources
thn-Eric-QA-7

November 2024

Public Transport Drives Sustainable Communities

Global
svg-icon Feature
Decarbonization , Mobility , Society

Share this page

  • Share on Facebook - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Linkedin - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Twitter - Warning, this link will open a new tab.
  • Share on Skype - Warning, this link will open your Skype application.

Related themes and tags

  • Resources (132)

  • Society (170)


  • Buildings (112)
  • Decision making (50)
  • Planning (82)
  • Wellbeing (45)
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  •   Page will open in a new tab
  • Who We Are
  • Our Story
  • Future Ready
  • New Zealand Leadership
  • Global Leadership
  • Our offices
  • What We Do
  • Sectors
  • Services
  • Projects
  • Insights
  • Climate
  • Mobility
  • Places
  • Society
  • Resilience
  • Technology
  • Careers
  • Join Our Team
  • Holiday Act Remediation for Former Employee
  • Early career
  • Experienced professionals
  • Why join us?
  • Corporate
  • Sustainability
  • Health and Safety
  • Investors
  • Business Conduct Hotline
  • News
  • Corporate Governance
  • Ethics and Integrity
  • Engineer in Safety
    ©2025 WSP
    • The WSP Logo
    • Privacy Policy
    • Anti-Spam Commitment
    • Cookie Notice
    • Terms of Use
    ©2025 WSP
    Exiting our Website

    You are about to leave WSP.com and are being redirected to a job opportunity at Louis Berger, which has been recently acquired by WSP in the US.