Adaptable Cities, Pandemic Mitigation and Crisis Preparedness (Adapt4)

Cities and specifically large and very dense metropolitan areas have been severally impacted by COVID-19 particularly people’s health and wellbeing as well as local economies. There is an urgent need to gather insights, assess and reflect on how cities have and can be adapted, promptly and proactively, as to immediately mitigate the impact of any future pandemics while ensuring their urban, social and economic resilience and continuity as rich transactional spaces hosting all types of human, economic, financial and information flows. While we situate this research area across the G7, we specifically focus on three continents _North America, Europe and Asia _ and zoom on four cities: New York City, London, Paris and Tokyo. The project ultimate goal is to co-design with a panel of built environment experts, a set of multi-scalar and evidence-based lessons as to promote proactive adaptability.

We are specifically focusing on:
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1/ the adaptation of planning regulations and policy guidelines allowing swift and prompt change of use (including ways to engage with local communities and forms of funding).

2/ the adaptation of spaces dedicated to mobility, typically streets and sidewalks, and their shift away from car use to other socio-cultural and health-driven purposes. 

3/ the adaptation of outdoor / public spaces (i.e. squares, parks, vacant and abandoned lands) for more diverse and inclusive community-led uses with a specific focus on users’ mental health and well-being.

Four Objectives

Our goal is to examine and understand:

1) the nature and mechanisms behind the adaptation, reappropriation and transformation of urban spaces during the pandemic, from a planning and urban development perspective 
2) how such adaptations allowed for economic, social and health mitigation;
3) the legacy of those adaptations, for individuals and communities, supporting (non-profit) organisations, for policy as well as for the planning system and wider urban development process
4) multi-scalar, evidence-based and co-designed lessons as to promote proactive adaptability and foster cities’ preparedness for future pandemics.

Three Research Stages: 

Stage 1: ​International and National Mapping Exercise

Stage 2: ​City Mapping & Analysis

Stage 3: ​Co-design of multi-scalar and evidence-based solutions to foster cities’ resilience in pandemic preparedness
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