Towards resilient cities that care: imagining more equitable and sustainable urban futures after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the basic premises of the economic system as we know it If this pandemic successfully disrupted our ordinary days under capitalism, it should also upend how we imagine the role of our cities As cities around the world plan to recover from this pandemic, there will be a rise in value-laden questions around what kind of collective values communities intend to pursue A post-disaster context often presents an occasion to ask ourselves what we truly value, what we are willing to preserve and what we are willing to forgo In Christchurch, in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in 2011, citizens were given a chance to discuss what buildings and city infrastructure they considered to be essential and valuable enough to be rebuilt and restored (Gjerde, 2017) The post-COVID-19 condition may offer a similar moment of reflection Here are a few embryonic ideas on how cities may harness this moment to instil their visions towards more equitable, sustainable and resilient urban futures