Critical Commentary: Beyond growth and density: Recentring the demographic drivers of urban health and risk in the global south

Debates within urban studies concerning the relationship between urbanisation and infectious disease focus on issues of urban population growth, density, migration and connectivity. However, an effective long-term risk and wellbeing agenda, without which the threat of future pandemics cannot be mitigated, must also take account of demographic forces and changes as critical drivers of transmission and mortality risk within and beyond cities. A better understanding of the dynamics of fertility, mortality and changing age structures – key determinants of urban decline/growth in addition to migration – provides the foundation upon which healthier cities and a healthy global urban system can be developed. The study of how basic demographic attributes and trends are distributed in space and how they interact with risks, including those of infectious disease, must be incorporated as a priority into a post-COVID-19 urban public health agenda. This perspective concurs with recent debates in urban studies emphasising the demographic drivers of urban change. Moreover, it raises critical questions about the microbial and environmental emphasis of much research on the interface of urban health and governance.

How did the 'state of emergency' declaration in Japan due to the COVID-19 pandemic affect the acoustic environment in a rather quiet residential area?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused lockdowns in many countries worldwide. Acousticians have made surveys to monitor how cities became quieter under the lockdown, mainly in central areas in cities. However, there have been few studies on the changes in the acoustic environment due to the pandemic in the usually quieter residential areas. It may be expected to be different from the effect in 'originally noisy' areas. Also, the effect could be different in Japan, because the 'state of emergency' declaration there was different to lockdowns elsewhere. Considering these circumstances, this article reports the results of noise monitoring and makes some observations on the acoustic environment in residential areas far from city centres, to provide an example of how the acoustic environment was affected by the state of emergency declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The results showed that the reduction of noise levels was somewhat less than that reported in large cities. Also, comparing the results after the cancellation of the state of emergency, the noise level increased again. However, observations of noise sources imply that a possible change in human behaviour may have also affected the acoustic environment.

The weapons of the city against pandemic assaults

The cyclical spread of the pandemic requires a modification of the urban and territorial planning tools and a national anti-pandemic urban and territorial plan. The objective of the paper is to present some proposals for the protection from Covid risk, with a flexible reorganization of the times, spaces of the city and the territory. The working methodology consists in the revision of procedures for the protection from seismic risks and their expansion and complexification for the protection from pandemic risk. Some summary results of the study concern suggestions for the search for a symbiosis between the city of concentration, peripheralization and diffusion with the introduction of flexible, temporary and variable uses. But the possibility of reducing socio-spatial inequalities in cities, regions and the Country can be pursued not only in the context of European Recovery Plan funding, but also with a thorough review of the tools for protecting against global risk. The conclusions show that, with the recurrence of "mutant" pandemics, the city abandons the certainty of a continuity, in alternating phases, of development, the stability of uses and times of use of the urban space, favored by the permanence of habits and forms of consolidated life, and it will become a transforming city, a two-faced city.

Changes and Disparities in Nature Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Time in nature is associated with a range of physical and psychological benefits. These benefits tend to be unevenly distributed, with non-white and low-income communities often having lower access to nature than richer, more white neighborhoods. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in Spring 2020, changes in daily routines, restrictions on public nature access, and risk perceptions may have affected whether and how much people spent time in nature. We explore how nature access changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and how those changes were experienced by different demographic groups. We surveyed representative samples of California and New York residents (n = 2,036) in May and June of 2020 and examined differences in nature access and nature-related COVID restrictions and risks by gender, income and race. We find that, on average, the pandemic was associated with reductions in frequency of nature access and less time in nature for all respondents. However, these trends were greatest for women, people of color and people who are low-income. Moreover, the pandemic seems to have widened prior inequalities: low-income and non-white people accessed nature even less frequently and had fewer nature access options than they did prior to the pandemic. Given the disparities in broader pandemic impacts by gender, income, and race, these results further demonstrate the inequalities laid bare by COVID-19.

Progress and prospects in planning: A bibliometric review of literature in Urban Studies and Regional and Urban Planning, 1956–2022

The global population has rapidly urbanized over the past century, and the urbanization rate is projected to reach about 70% by 2050. In line with these trends and the increasing recognition of the significance of cities in addressing local and global challenges, a lot of research has been published on urban studies and planning since the middle of the twentieth century. While the number of publications has been rapidly increasing over the past decades, there is still a lack of studies analyzing the field's knowledge structure and its evolution. To fill this gap, this study analyzes data related to more than 100,000 articles indexed under the "Urban Studies” and "Regional & Urban Planning” subject categories of the Web of Science. We conduct various analyses such as term co-occurrence, co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and citation analysis to identify the key defining thematic areas of the field and examine how they have evolved. We also identify key authors, journals, references, and organizations that have contributed more to the field's development. The analysis is conducted over five periods: 1956–1975 (the genesis period), 1976–1995 (economic growth and environmentalism), 1996–2015 (sustainable development and technological innovation), 2016–2019 (climate change and SDGs), and 2020 onwards (post-COVID urbanism). Four major thematic areas are identified: 1) socio-economic issues and inequalities, 2) economic growth and innovation, 3) urban ecology and land use planning, and 4) urban policy and governance and sustainability. The first two are recurring themes over different periods, while the latter two have gained currency over the past 2–3 decades following global events and policy frameworks related to global challenges like sustainability and climate change. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, issues related to smart cities, big data analytics, urban resilience, and governance have received particular attention. We found disproportionate contributions to the field from the Global North. Some countries from the Global South with rapid urbanization rates are underrepresented, which may have implications for the future of urbanization. We conclude the study by highlighting thematic gaps and other critical issues that need to be addressed by urban scholars to accelerate the transition toward sustainable and resilient cities.

Developing Polycentricity to Shape Resilient Metropolitan Structures: The Case of the Gdansk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area

Making the metropolitan area resilient, in many cases, calls for amending its spatial structures. This may take various forms, including both reshaping the metropolitan core and redeveloping the entire regional network of cities and centres, making them part of a coherent structure. The latter strategy is associated with reinforcing secondary urban centres as well as shaping new connections between them. In this case, the term "resilience" is associated not only with environmental aspects but also with socio-economic and spatial ones. Shaping resilient metropolitan areas is therefore associated with complex planning and development undertakings, in many cases spread over decades. This approach was proven to be correct during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, which spurred this process of rethinking metropolitan structures and led to generating new approaches to metropolitan development and planning. The article focuses on the Gdansk-Gdynia- Sopot Metropolitan Area, which is potentially the largest polycentric metropolitan area on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. In this case, polycentricity has a twofold origin-it includes centres with a shaped spatial structure that come closer together as they develop and diffuse suburban structure, the shaping of which remains one of the main challenges of the regional spatial policy. The authors look at both concepts and tools associated with reshaping this metropolitan centre. In particular, they analyse the effects of using both obligatory and optional planning tools which are available according to Polish law. They also try to answer the question of under what conditions a polycentric structure has a chance to become a resistant structure.

The Gender-Poverty-Mobility Nexus and the Post-Pandemic Era in South Africa

As part of long-term comparative research into the Gauteng City-Region, this article presents mixed-methods studies in the informal settlement of Denver, located in the industrial belt southeast of Johannesburg's city center. It unpacks the results of focus groups, ethnographic and expert interviews, as well as mapping with an innovative smartphone tracking application, comparing everyday life for several households in this area before the pandemic in 2019 and during the pandemic in 2020. Findings show that the pandemic exacerbated the disproportionate burdens related to gendered roles of household management, childcare, and mobility, both on the macro- as well as the micro-scale. The article thus defines the "gender-poverty-mobility nexus" that shapes space and everyday life in the Gauteng City-Region, precluding places like Denver from overcoming their marginality. Post-pandemic planning policy could be transformative for such spaces if it can build on this knowledge to better identify the needs of these vulnerable social groups and connect them to opportunities. It concludes with suggestions on how these empirically revealed dynamics could be translated into responses on the urban and regional scales, in the name of more equitable, resilient planning futures for Johannesburg and beyond.

Urban Crises and the Covid-19 Pandemic: An Analytical Framework for Metropolitan Resiliency

Social scientists of the urban condition have long been interested in the causes and consequences of the phenomena that shape the growth and decline of cities and their suburbs. Such interests have become increasingly relevant in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the course of the pandemic, many academic and popular analyses have confronted two essential questions: How has the pandemic changed the city? And given these changes, are they permanent? This current scholarly and popular dialogue generally lacks comparative analysis. In this article, we attempt to further the analysis and discussion about the pandemic and the city by refraining the debate through three comparative lenses: temporal, scalar, and dimensional. Drawing on the debate and experience of urban areas in the United States, we present an analytical framework to apply a comparative analytical approach. Three temporal analytical matrices are presented: (a) pre-pandemic, (b) current-pandemic, and (c) post-pandemic. These matrices articulate the relationships between a city's developmental patterns and their related dimensions of urbanization. We pay special attention to the nature of scale within and among the cities and suburbs of regions. Each matrix is tested and contextualized using relevant narratives from cities in the United States before, during, and after the pandemic on various issues, including housing, transportation, and economic development. This framework will serve as an analytical tool for future research on the pandemic and how cities can become more resilient to such shocks.

Reimagining the Future of the Sydney CBD: Reflecting on Covid-19-Driven Changes in Commercial and Residential Property Trends

Covid-19 has led to unprecedented changes in functional structures in our cities. Since the mid-20th century, central business districts (CBDs) worldwide have hosted economic and employment activities, leaving suburbia to home the residential function. However, the global Covid-19 responses have resulted in changes in some urban functions, and it is yet to see if these changes would transpire as temporary or permanent. Some argue that the broad macrogeographical pattern of urbanisation is unlikely to be changed. Still, that significant intra-metropolitan, neighbourhood-level and daily life changes are to become part of the new reality. Thus, this article considered these changes by focusing on property trends in the Sydney CBD to reflect on future trends, urban structures, and associated functions. An evaluative single case study desk-top analysis was conducted to investigate commercial vacancy rates and rental prices within the CBD of Sydney (Australia) between 2018 and 2021 to reflect on the Covid-19-drive changes and their implications for urban planners. Findings high-lighted that before Covid-19, both residential and commercial markets were growing, with rising rental prices and decreasing vacancy rates. However, commercial vacancies in the CBD have increased, and rental prices have decreased since 2020's lockdown, stressing the dropping demand for commercial spaces. The residential market experienced a different trend with dropping vacancy rates and increasing rental prices. The data analysed provide an initial understanding of how Covid-19 has impacted the Sydney CBD. It poses some insights into potential future trends and changes in the urban landscape. It highlights the implications that the planning profession should consider in the quest to realise sustainable and resilient cities.

Recreation as a Social Factor in Urban Development: A Response to Covid-19 Pandemic in Greater Jos, Nigeria

The importance of recreation cannot be overemphasised. Recreation refers to an activity that people engage in during their free time, and it is socially-inclined and has attendant values. Inaccessibility to recreational areas affects the social wellbeing of residents, who will not have a sense of belonging when it comes to community development, hence a response to Covid-19. Taking Greater Jos (Nigeria) as a case study, this paper assesses the social factors with regard to the provision of recreational facilities. The study also identified and mapped out recreational areas using the geographical positioning system. A questionnaire survey was conducted amongst the residents, age fifteen and above to authentically gauge their opinions on the study and, adopting stratified-random sampling considering the ten sectors according to the Greater Jos Master Plan. Results revealed that the residents had a good level of awareness of the presence of recreational facilities and high-quality recreational facilities, which were found mostly within the core of the city. The facilities fostered a high level of family and community bonding. However, the distance of recreational activity areas from their place of residence was what was rather disappointing for most people. Thus, the recent Covid-19 pandemic demand of social distancing negates social inclusion. The emphasis on social orientation and effective social inclusion of disadvantaged groups was conspicuously pronounced. Thus, appropriate and easy access to recreational facilities for all genders and ages must be provided closer to the people for effective services to promote their social lives and weaken the Covid-19 repulsive protocol. (C) 2022 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved

Achieving an Active Lifestyle within a Walkable Environment: Assessment of Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Having an active lifestyle has been regarded as one of the main factors for maintaining a healthy and happy life. However, previous studies have pointed out that most Malaysian adults are reported to be physically inactive due to lifestyle changes such as increasingly sedentary lifestyles, decreased physical activity (PA), and growing reliance on automobiles for mobility. Subsequently, the COVID-19 pandemic has further impacted the quality of the urban population's active lifestyles, particularly the disruption resulting from movement restriction control orders which has limited the ability to maintain an active lifestyle. This scenario has the potential to negatively impact the health and mental state of the population if it continues without intervention by relevant stakeholders. Therefore, this study examined the patterns of PA and body mass index (BMI) and assessed the association between PA and a walkable environment to maintain an active lifestyle in Kuala Lumpur city centre before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study 'walkable environment' refers to a physical attribute that encourages walking for functional and recreational purposes and `active lifestyle' refers to walking being the main physical PA that contributes to health as part of people's regular routine. This study adopted the mixed method approach through an online questionnaire survey, combined with the observation of selected areas and content analysis of written documents. The findings show that most respondents perceived that walking was the main PA that contributes to health. In terms of effects, walkable environments have been shown to have a positive impact on PA and health by encouraging an active lifestyle. (C) 2022 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved

A Review on Office Space Management Post Pandemic COVID-19

Literature studies reveal that mankind spends 90% of their life indoors. The current COVID 19, pandemic situation has capped the socialization among the people due to diverse reasons. This situation has questioned as well as challenged the age-old practices and standards that have been adopted in designing spaces for various functions. This study reinstates the need to maintain the health of the occupants especially in corporate offices. Achieving the users' health and wellness that include some aspects of thermal comfort is challenging. The aim is to study, understand and achieve the key parameters that revolves around 'health' and 'wellness' of the occupants in corporate spaces that is expected to be occupied partially even during challenging situations. Exploratory methodology is adopted to identify and consolidate such parameters in this article. The data was collected from secondary resources such as 'Well Building Standard' by the International Well Building Institute, 'Indian Green Building rating system', 'pandemic guidelines' and 'research articles'. It is observed that parameters such as 'adequate and appropriate ventilation', 'indoor and native plants' and 'relative humidity' need to be considered while facilitating the functioning of corporate spaces with minimum occupancy in situations which demand physical and social distancing. The role and the impacts of these parameters need to be explored in real time contexts. (C) 2022 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved

Optimizing the Role of Urban Open Space in Supporting the Increasing of Public Awareness and Compliance with Health Protocols during the Pandemic

The level of the spread of covid-19, which is still high in the city of Semarang, indicates the low level of public awareness in complying with health protocols. The role of urban open space in Semarang City needs to be optimized to support this effort by adding several facilities that did not exist before the pandemic, so that people comply with health protocols, wear masks, wash their hands frequently and maintain physical distance when carrying out their social activities. The aim of this study is to determine how to optimize the role of public open space in supporting efforts to maintain the health of urban communities based on public awareness in complying with health protocols when doing activities. The research was conducted in three open spaces in Semarang, Indonesia, using survey methods and a descriptive qualitative analysis by observing the physical condition of the park, the behavior of the people in doing their activities, and park management officers. The results show that the three locations are now equipped with supporting facilities, but they are less effective in forcing people to remain obedient when doing activities. The level of public awareness and compliance has not met expectations and most of the people are still ignorant. Therefore, there is still a need to add more attractive and more massive facilities and to give more socialisations so that urban open spaces can be safe and healthy locations to visit as well as to play a more optimal role in improving people's physical and mental health during the pandemic.

Adaptation of the Pedestrian Walkways Design along the Trans Semarang Bus Corridor to COVID-19

COVID-19 cases continue to increase in Indonesia, with an estimated value of 719,000 and an 8.37% mortality rate, due to the severity and potency of the deadly disease. One of the provinces that mostly contributes to the high mortality rate is Central Java, especially in populous areas like Semarang City. The spread of the virus occurs through direct contact between humans, forcing physical and social distances to become more important, especially in public spaces. Based on these conditions, city planning experts reportedly suggests a public space re-design process, adaptable to the current pandemic conditions, in order to provide a comfortable, safer, and sustainable urban life. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the integration of the mass transportation system (the Bus Trans Semarang) with the readjustment and redesign potentials of pedestrian walkways, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past two years, the development of pedestrian walkways has become an integral part of the Semarang City Government, in order to realize a sustainable transportation system. Furthermore, the pandemic has presently made pedestrian walkways less functional, due to public concerns on its spread in external areas. The retrieval spatial-based data of this study focused on the bus stops for the Trans Semarang Bus Corridor, which were potential points for the emergence of walking activities. The method used in the measurement of pedestrian activity included behavioral mapping and urban design analysis. This was to identify the pedestrian design indicators that were adaptive to the pandemic conditions. The simulation methods also assisted the data visualization process, by using spatial applications such as ArcGIS and Sketchup. After this, the calculation of the capacity was carried out, to determine the maximum limit of the available spaces. The results were in the form of indicators, such as additional width, lane division, as well as provision of health and hygiene facilities. These were the main recommendations applied on the pedestrian walkways' environmental characteristics, at various points in Semarang City. (C) 2022 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved

Landscape Design Toward Covid-19 in the Old Town Semarang, Indonesia

A significant increase in Covid-19 cases worldwide disrupted many sectors. The virus transmission through the air requires that people limit outdoor activities and apply social distancing. However, outdoor activities cannot be avoided because it is how people meet their daily needs. The urban landscape design arrangement is crucial, especially in public spaces. Old Town Semarang is a location with the potential for high outdoor activities, especially tourism. CCTV data shows that tourists could reach up to 500 people per day, and the average visitor does a comply with health protocols. This is worsened by the unadopted landscape conditions in this area to the current pandemic conditions. Therefore, a landscape design approach is needed to adapt to visitors' needs and minimize virus transmission. This research examined the effect of landscape design on Covid-19 in the Old Town area. Data were collected on the existing landscape conditions, cultural heritage, and the distribution of positive Covid-19 cases and analyzed using spatial analysis, design simulation, and quantitative descriptive. The results were presented as simulation or landscape design recommendations according to cultural heritage elements and health protocols. The recommendations are a division of activity zones with a visitor quota system, and optimization of health facilities, signage for physical distance, as well as a clean and healthy lifestyle for visitors. (C) 2022 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved

COVID-19: Are Our Green Areas Enough for People' Well-being

Malaysians' overall well-being, particularly in urban areas, has been seriously affected physically and emotionally due to the series of imposed lockdowns in the country. The number of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness has increased tremendously during the lockdown period. Various studies suggest that these mental health issues could be coped with if people are allowed to access urban greeneries and public green spaces during the pandemic. However, the degree to how adequate existing green areas are to fulfil an urban community's needs with strict social distancing compliance is still vaguely interpreted in the literature. It is still arguable that the current 10 per cent green area requirement is still relevant to the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to determine the sufficient amount of green areas for people's well-being during the pandemic, based on the local population, accessibility to green areas, and compliance with the new norm of social distancing by a minimum of one meter. Therefore, an urban neighbourhood in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia was selected and simulated using GIS spatial analysis based on the highlighted parameters. As a result, the study found that the current size of existing green areas in the neighbourhood is insufficient in terms of compliance with the parameters, especially Malaysia's social distancing requirements. This study could provide a platform for future planning to include pandemic risk reduction into urban planning policies, especially in the context of Malaysia, to cater to future uncertainties (C) 2022 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved

MaaS Bundling and Acceptance in the Pandemic Era: Evidence from Padua, Italy

Given the benefits both individuals and collectivity have achieved over the past few years thanks to Mobility-as-Service (MaaS) systems, various studies were conducted to predict the level of acceptance of MaaS bundles from different territorial scales and in different countries. Results obtained are in some cases contradictory. Literature is lacking in the study of small-to-medium-sized urban contexts and in the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to understand (1) what factors influence respondents' preferences between their usual transportation means and a possible MaaS alternative and (2) what leads a user to prefer one MaaS bundle to another. A logistic regression and a mixed logit model were developed to reach the two aims, respectively. These models were calibrated using questionnaires administered to employees of the Municipality of Padua, a medium-sized city in Italy. Aspects concerning the perception of health safety in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the analyses. In 37% of the cases, users stated they would be willing to adopt at least one of the proposed MaaS bundles. The results suggest that MaaS solutions can be a useful tool for managing mobility even in medium-sized cities, provided users' biosecurity concerns are addressed by appropriate countermeasures. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Advanced Transportation is the property of Hindawi Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Pop-Up Cycleways How a COVID-19 "Policy Window" Changed the Relationship Between Urban Planning, Transport, and Health in Sydney, Australia

Problem, research strategy, and findings Government agencies are increasingly interested in accelerating cycleway infrastructure to achieve co-benefits of increased physical activity, transport efficiencies, and reduced greenhouse emissions. Comprehensive evidence supports this policy direction, yet delivery of infrastructure in many cities remains slow, fragmented, and wrought with political struggle. Political forces, rather than a lack of evidence, appear to be the key challenge to implementing active transport policies. In this study we used Kingdon's multiple stream theory to examine the policy development process that led to the rapid installation of pop-up cycleways in Sydney (Australia) in response to COVID-19. Takeaway for practice Significant disruption to regular transport services induced by the COVID-19 pandemic created a policy window where political expediency resulted in rapid implementation of active transport-friendly policy and legislative changes. The policy realignment occurred due to increased government agency collaboration and the elevation of cycling to an unprecedented level of priority within government. This study shows the value of ongoing commitment to evidence-based policy solutions to clearly identified urban challenges despite institutional barriers, the need to develop political alliances for when opportunities for policy change arise, and the need to swiftly capitalize on these policy windows when they open. This case study provides insights for cycling policy development in jurisdictions traditionally burdened by skepticism and reluctance to implement bicycle infrastructure by revealing the multivalent nature of policy adoption.

Enhancing Sharing Capabilities Housing and Neighborhood Planning Opportunities for Improving Health

The global COVID-19 pandemic has led households to find creative ways to share resources to address isolation, stress, and anxiety. We build on these social experiments to suggest that sharing in housing and neighborhoods can lead to better mental health and wellbeing. The capabilities approach, popularized by philosophers Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, provides a theoretical perspective for integrating sharing options into housing and neighborhood design, regulation, and investment. We offer a framework delineating dimensions of sharing that has the potential to encourage more sharing and shift planning emphasis from housing as an outcome to one that promotes sharing.

Pandemic-Resilient Urban Centers: A New Way of Thinking for Industrial-Oriented Urbanization in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, the flourishing of industrial parks in the suburbs of major urban centers is a recent phenomenon. The outbreak of COVID-19 has had an adverse impact on the emerging industrial parks and prospects of cluster cities. The aim of this article is to explore the different urban planning measures employed during the pandemic and to propose sound planning methods for the development of sustainable industrial-oriented urban centers. In Ethiopia, industrial-oriented urbanization started in the 1920s with the advent of the railway line. Currently, more than 25 industrial park-based cluster cities have flourished adjacent to cities. A number of initiatives have been undertaken by major stakeholders in these cluster cities to combat COVID-19. Their efforts, however, were made difficult because urban planners were not proactive and did not have foresight in the selection of sites that can mitigate the impact of COVID-19 or other similar pandemics. The researchers believe the problem could have been addressed if the planners used a science-based, human-focused, computer-aided decision-making approach, i.e., space syntax. Therefore, this article recommends that planners become proactive and work in collaboration with different stakeholders for the creation of resilient and livable industrial parks-oriented urban centers.