Abstract
As cities face increasing challenges related to mental health, social stressors, and environmental degradation, there is an urgent need for integrated urban design approaches that combine insights from neuroscience, sustainability, and artificial intelligence (AI). Neuro-urbanism draws from neuroscience and cognitive psychology to understand how the built environment influences emotional well-being, behaviour, and cognitive performance. AI, in turn, provides dynamic tools for sensing, predicting, and adapting urban systems in real time, enabling responsive and personalized spatial experiences. This paper proposes a human-centered framework for AI-driven sustainable neuro-urbanism aimed at guiding the design of adaptive, inclusive, and mentally supportive urban environments. This study synthesizes current literature across urban design, neuroscience, AI technologies, and sustainable planning to develop a multi-scalar conceptual framework that links urban elements—such as green areas, public spaces, mobility systems, and sensory environments—to neurocognitive outcomes and adaptive AI functions. The proposed framework was applied to two international cases—Songdo and Barcelona—to evaluate urban environments across three dimensions: neuro-urbanism, AI functionality, and sustainability. Results show that Songdo excels in technological efficiency but lacks sensory and social richness, whereas Barcelona demonstrates human-centered, socially inclusive design with limited AI integration. These findings highlight opportunities to integrate AI adaptivity with neuro-urbanist principles for more sustainable, responsive cities. The paper aims to provide a foundation for future empirical research and policy development that centres mental well-being in sustainable urban transformation.