Questions I am pondering at the moment...
Can we use this time of the COVID-19 outbreak to rethink how we live in cities and how they are designed and used in the future?
What would our ideal city look like?
Already in cities due to COVID-19 we have seen:
PERCEIVED POSITIVES:
Decline in petrol/fuel usage and automobile usage as more people work from home;
Less congested roads;
More prolific and safe bicycle riding;
More people exercising outdoors (for example around the Tan and Albert Park Lake for example around the inner city);
More agile/flexible working arrangements (in reality the need to work from home, apart from essential workers) which could transpire into more permanent flexible working arrangements and conditions;
A push to think more about technology, application of online operation of businesses and also how we use social media and even online dating and how one goes on dates or socialises in these times of physical distancing;
The potential for church sermons, education, fitness programs to be more accessible and of a better quality by being online, providing people have a fast speed internet and allowing those who are mobility impaired or have a disability access to a range of first class services;
Increase in family time (provided your family lives under one roof);
Saving money on office space by working from home;
Having a reduced carbon footprint = good for the health of the natural universe;
PERCEIVED NEGATIVES:
An increase in physical isolation;
A decline in ‘community feeling’, a reduction in the appeal of co-working and and co-housing spaces, as this is seen as a health risk and incubator for disease;
As mentioned by Jan Gehl, for many people work is an extension of the family and by not going into their physical workspace surrounded by colleagues, they are losing out on their extended family time (depending on whether you like your colleagues or not I suppose);
Potential rise in domestic violence as a result of increased pressure and stress because of the current situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic;
The possibility of a global recession;
An increase in utilisation of packaging and plastics due to having to wrap produce to prevent contamination;
Social media as an even greater source and force of communication and with it comes the potential rise of propaganda, conspiracy theories, unreliable news sources and ‘fake news’ (as if there wasn't enough already);
A vast reduction in our fitness and hospitality industry (perhaps for the long term), as gyms are forced to shut and pubs, restaurants and cafes are limited to only serving take-away food and drinks and the nightclub industry disappears;
Weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies are forced to limit numbers or have services online not gather together physically in one confined space;
Significant decline in public transport usage;
Reduction in global mobility including the non-existence of overseas travel for the immediate future;
My question is: Could this be an opportunity once again to re-shape cities for the better? Create new practices and habits because people can understand their environment better and have more time to do so?
I challenge us all to think about what could be, based on what currently is, and;
What work is important to you, based on the future and not what currently is?
Interestingly, throughout history there is little evidence of outbreaks of pandemics having a lasting effect but what if we look at is as an opportunity to create positive change.
I'll leave it with you to think about for a moment...
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