Shaking the Foundations :
Time to change the structure of our cities
It ’ s easy to fall into the doom-and-gloom trap of how the
current pandemic will forever change the face of cities and how the very foundations of urban planning and architecture will have to adapt to a new human reality . But rather than adopting a reactive stance when it comes to envisaging how cities might change , looking beyond Covid-19 why not focus on how cities should structurally change ?
Inequalities have become starkly apparent as a result of Covid-19 , providing us with a new lens through which we view the world . Armed with this deeper realisation , we now have an opportunity – if we choose to take it - to focus on our humanity . Can we , collectively , seize a moment when commercial and residential property values and declining rental yields have been accelerated to help drive structural change ?
We are being gifted the chance to change our cities into more human spaces and more equitable places . Can we use the assets we have in transforming society , through the collaborative provision of inner city clinics , schools , libraries and other community centres , to foster hubs capable of spurring on the generation of inner city housing ?
As a society we all have a significant responsibility to ensure that the provision of housing and community spaces is not , and should never be , a numbers game . Providing standard units in their thousands will never translate into the making of individual homes ; after all a cramped place to sleep , cook and shower , which is far from work and amenities , is not a quality home . And yet it is the latter for which our cities are crying out : Neighbourhoods in which individuals are nurtured in homes , not bleak repetitive housing without any form of social amenity .
Can we seize the moment ? Currently government has a massive opportunity to embed inclusion into its cities for the future . For years , the City of Johannesburg , and most of the other metropoles , have been taking over properties where landlords are in arrears or failing to maintain their properties . These buildings have then been released to the market for housing . As our economy comes under more pressure , more opportunities will doubtless emerge , giving government initiatives such as the Joburg
Hanoi streets become the living rooms of the city at night , filled with vibrancy and light . ( Photo : Patrick McInerney )
8 Shaking the Foundations