Through an eclectic set of historical observations, this article takes a long view of the ties between urban design and public health in the face of infectious disease.
“We have to return to this kind of medieval spatial response to disease control, which means that architecture and urban design [and landscape architecture] suddenly become medical. There’s something totally fascinating about that — that we can use the built environment as a way to control epidemic spread."
The spaces we use and the ways we use them have been abruptly reshaped in the short term, but long-term changes can be informed by what we are noticing the importance of. As we simultaneously practice isolation and distancing to prevent infection while appreciating more than ever the impact that spending time in green space and nature has on our physical and mental health, what observations will we hold on to that inform the future design of our urban landscapes? Will we increase funding to provide accessible, well-maintained parks and open spaces in the city, even when budgets are slashed?
Design of physical space will matter to our personal and public health even when we are not in crisis and when we have medicines available. How will we give new weight to the use of space, light, and materials, remembering their capacity to improve health and well-being?
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