The Future of Cities: Urban Development Post-Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has posed the biggest challenge and could lead to the biggest overhaul to urban centres since the industrial revolution two centuries ago. While reports of the death of cities – a 10,000 year old institution – are probably premature, the pandemic has almost certainly acted as a catalyst for changes that were already beginning and have set new trains of thought in motion. What the future city will look like is difficult to know for sure, but a number of trends appear to be emerging. Working habits formed over the last year will perhaps change what the office and the home look like, while cleaner and more accessible forms of transport, like cycling, may replace cars and the need for big parking areas.

It has been argued that even before the pandemic, cities had too many shops, and the collapse of a number of well known department stores arguably supports this. Surviving shops could increasingly become showrooms and mini-warehouses, or become rooms for pop up shops launching a recent product. While commercial landowners and local governments may suffer (the latter from shrinking tax income), residents could gain as they move into former shops, and the hospitality sector could have a brighter future as the hub for urban social interactions.

This timely symposium will explore the different facets that make up a city, from offices to shops to homes, analyse the impact of the pandemic and what it means for the future of cities and urban development, and discuss the policy options available to facilitate change and protect those that are at risk as a result.

Program