As the world is being hit by the Covid-19 epidemic and people are asked to stay home, the way we use city grids, urban spaces and constructed areas is changing. Are cities’ structures ready to adapt to this new way of living? swissnex Brazil organised a webinar on 18 June 2020 to discuss the future of cities and the impacts of Covid-19 on architecture.

As Anna Karla Almeida mentioned, the pandemic showed the importance of having quality spaces in our homes, but this heavily depends on income. More generous open public spaces are needed to respect social distancing measures. Projects to increase urban mobility have also been put in place, by creating more bike lanes for instance. However, these measures are mainly found in centres and less in the periphery of cities, and they might benefit only a portion of the population.

The crisis has accelerated the discussions on topics of mobility and transportation, home office and blended formats in business, research and teaching, said Fabienne Hoelzel. Notably, there has been a strengthening of cycling and other human powered modes of transportation. There should also be an intensified discussion on the quality and proportion of public green spaces accessible to everyone.

Taina de Paula brought a Brazilian perspective to the dialogue, discussing how Brazilian cities were witnessing high levels of inequality well before the pandemic. Equipment and access to basic sanitation is unequally distributed throughout the country and within regions, and this influences how people will be affected by Covid-19. This should be taken into consideration when thinking about future public policies, especially in terms of access to health facilities and basic sanitation.

Watch the full webinar bellow:

Anna Karla Almeida, Fabienne Hoelzel and Tainá de Paula are inspiring voices and shared some insights on three articles exclusively for swissnex Brazil. Read the articles here:

Urban Life and Covid-19: Impacts on Architecture and the Future of Cities, by Anna Karla Almeida.

Potential impacts of COVID-19 on architecture in the urban structures and living structures of the cities, by Fabienne Hoelzel.

Urban Living and Covid-19: Impacts on Architecture and the Future of Cities, by Tainá de Paula.