"Covid-19 shows the immense need for public space and recreational areas in the cities", says urban architect Kristian Villadsen in an interview conducted at the GDI Retail Summit. But shopping streets don't improve quality of life: "During lockdown, when people were actually missing public spaces, they still chose not to use the traditional retail spaces. Because they’re not considered to be high quality public spaces anymore," says Kristian Villadsen, partner at urban strategy firm Gehl, in an interview.
Cities around the world discovered during the pandemic that roads are important public spaces and can be converted for other purposes beyond transportation. "Now we have the chance to show that we can use urban space differently."
In the GDI video interview, Villadsen explains what new concepts of usage he has in mind, and why cities with multiple centers are the future:
Cancelled major events: These are the alternatives in times of Corona
What does it do to people when they can no longer cheer on their favourite band at open airs, cheer on their football team or attend a trade fair? And what are the alternatives to mass events? GDI researchers consider four realistic scenarios.
Six topics: how cities will change after the Covid 19 lockdown
In cities, proximity prevails, but the pandemic requires physical distance. How can this dilemma be solved? And how will the public space change? GDI researcher Marta Kwiatkowski identifies six topics that will shape the post-coronavirus city.
Study, 2018 (free download)
Language: German, french
Commissioned by: Zentrum Öffentlicher Raum (ZORA)