Learnings from the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown can help us to design and build more liveable cities, says Dr James Beard.
We would do well to remember how difficult the COVID-19 lockdown has been for people without access to a garden, local park, or an outdoor space to call their own.
In cities across the UK, for example, we saw how quickly green spaces became overcrowded when lockdown rules were first eased. It showed how desperate people were to escape the confines of their flats, apartments and bedsits, and how much we all cherish being – and socialising – in the open air.
In cities where high density living is common, people are reliant on public spaces in order to relax, exercise and interact with others.
The public realm and green space on the periphery of our towns and cities are under significant strain as housing density continues to increase to cope with rising urban populations – the UN predicts 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050.
Housing previously assumed to meet the needs of residents has been shown to be lacking during the pandemic, not least by the limited availability of outside space.
Pressures of demand, the cost of land and return on investment have combined to reduce the level of provision of local green infrastructure within new developments. Places where city dwellers can relax outdoors – particularly green spaces – are further from the front doors of those living in newer housing. And public spaces are used ever more intensively, resulting in wear-and-tear that can result in a deterioration in amenity.
Green space matters
So, in terms of urban planning and the liveability of our built environment, what are the lessons that we can learn from the pandemic? How can we build back better? Now is the time to ask these questions, record the answers and act on them. Crises are often catalysts of change – but people also tend to have short memories and if the moment is missed the lessons of the crisis can be lost.
Masterplanners, city planners, infrastructure designers and those responsible for approving new urban housing schemes need to give greater priority to the outdoors.
Green space matters. Personal space matters, too. Family homes – with gardens where possible – should form part of all developments.
But if gardens and even balconies are impractical, then attractive, safe, green public realm spaces should be easily accessible from people’s homes. As we’ve seen with the easing of lockdowns worldwide, people want and need open spaces where they can sit in contemplation, meet to talk and play with family and friends, exercise, or relax. Those spaces need to be easily accessible and enjoyable by all, meaning they must be safe and secure. Public realm should mean much more than paved plazas, with benches and bins and not much else. Concepts such as the 15-minute city are valuable.
The notion that our essential services should be within a 15-minute walk of our homes can help to inform what access to outside space truly means. People shouldn’t have to travel just to sit on the grass or enjoy the sunshine. That experience should be no more than a short and pleasant walk away.