Factor in Covid-19 in the design of our cities
with a wider leeway to accommodate social distancing. The concept of shared spaces can help to increase urban mobility, so that active modes of transportation such as cycling and walking on the street itself can be the new culture of movement within cities.
When working from home becomes the new norm, large public car parks can be a thing of the past. Some of these car parks can be converted for other uses. Linked with other urban spaces, they can be more comfortable and conducive for walking, cycling and exercise, complementing existing public parks which are otherwise at risk of crowding.
The important nodes of a city such as marketplaces and transportation hubs, which tend to attract crowds, should be prioritised for upgrading. These spaces are often cluttered, dingy and poorly ventilated, becoming potential breeding grounds for the virus.
The new norm requires the facilities and furniture of these places to be reorganised to allow social distancing. Efficient sanitation methods and good solid waste management system should also be in place. However, this should not detrimentally affect the market as a place reflecting the true culture of a society and our way of life.
While Milan in Italy, and Bogota in Colombia have attempted to deal with Covid-19 by reclaiming space from their streets to accommodate cycling and walking, such an effort has yet to be seen here.
Nonetheless, we have to start adapting our cities to accommodate the resurgence of urban life with the new norm in mind.