Landscapes in the Time of Social Distancing: Pandemic and the Design of the Urban Environment

Dear Colleagues,

The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost every aspect of our lives. Most countries have implemented preventative measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. The purpose of these measures is mainly social distancing, which includes changes to and restrictions of the use of public space. Movement of people as well as social contact have been reduced to a minimum and it has become a social responsibility (often law-enforced) to stay at home.

As the global market and service providers adjust to the realm of the pandemic, many places have started to introduce online, virtual tours and experiences. This shift also applies to urban parks and gardens, public spaces, and even national parks. Exercise and sport activities are moving from gyms, sport fields, and parks to living rooms. The window view is becoming a key feature of apartments and houses, with people looking for comfort in the landscape visible directly from their homes—now turned into offices.

Meanwhile, cities around the world are introducing temporary (“tactical”) public space interventions in preparation for post-lockdown urban life. This may include, but is not limited to, the extension of footpaths, widening of bike lanes, closures of some streets (providing new, extended “meeting grounds”) and improvement in the quality of public sanitary facilities. The area of urban planning and design is facing a grand challenge to seek new solutions and answer questions on the alternative use of specific spaces and their public/private character.

In countries that have experienced severe lockdowns, private spaces such as balconies and terraces have become places for public meetings and allotment gardens have become places of refuge as “enclaves” of green private and “safe” space in the urban environment. In cities that have enforced a “stay local” policy, neighborhood parks and their accessibility have become vital, as long distance (car) travel for recreation is not allowed. Large open green spaces, urban forests, and some green wasteland (Informal Green Spaces) seem to be the safest places in the city due to the possibility of social distancing.

For this Special Issue, we invite authors to submit research articles or commentaries that focus on one or more of the following topics:

• social distancing in the public space;
• streetscape in times of pandemic;
• recreational use of Informal Green Spaces (IGS) or green wastelands in the time of pandemic;
• urban parks in the time of social distancing;
• salutogenesis and biophilic design;
• nature connection indoors and window view studies;
• the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities and neighborhoods;
• green space and “recreation” through online immersive technologies;
• public space and the social “bubble”;
• the benefits of green spaces on public health and mental well-being during the pandemic;
• the roles of allotment gardens, community gardens, and urban farms in food production during the pandemic;
• from private to public—the roles of balconies, roof gardens, etc.;
• tactical urbanism and temporary responses for the pandemic in the city;
• and future, post-pandemic landscape architecture and urban design challenges.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Panagopoulos
Dr. Bruno Marques
Assist. Prof. Krzysztof Herman
Dr. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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