Reloading mobility in post-COVID public space

Dr.-Ing. Pietro EliseiUrbasofia, Director

EC Urbact Validated ExpertEC UIA ExpertISOCARP Ambassador, former VPCSI Virtual workshop, Cluj , June the 4th 2020

The COVID 19 changed suddenly and drastically our way of living and dramatically highlighted the fragmentation and disparities of the contemporary city.

HEALTH SYSTEMS

HOUSING

PUBLIC SPACES AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURES

ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY

GOVERNANCE CAPABILITIES

THE PANDEMIC & THE CITY

delays, indecisions and inability in public action

lack of green areas and rundown public spaces

lack of proximity services and proper urban facilities and services

Cities showed different resilience based on quality (knowledge, capability, organization) embedded in these critical system of the urban dimension. Criticalities visible in a number of real problems:

under dimensioned and unprepared hospitals

inadequacy of working spaces, often overcrowded and obsolete (especially in public administrations)

PROBLEMS AND REAL TIME SOLUTIONS

COVID 19 also highlighted how city planning and transportation planning require symbiotic planning actions: They are the two sides of the same coin!

THERE IS IN BOTH OF THEM THE NEED TO RETHING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN:

1. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACE2. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TRANSPORT MEANS3. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS IN THE URBAN MOBILITY SYSTEMS4. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ROLES IN THE URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS

Rethinking how much and how to design for the individual and the collectivity… open question

…ABOUT MOBILITY & THE CITY

GLOBAL SCALE

NEIGHBOURHOOD SCALE

URBAN SCALE

REGIONAL SCALE

TRANS-REGIONAL SCALE

LEARNING LESSONS FROM COVID 19

Good design of proximity spaces and links relate, also even alternative mobility pathways and means) is a key issue of contemporary urban planning and design…they have been the places of resilience during the pandemic

MOBILITY IS MULTI SCALAR

FOCUSSING ON MOBILITY IN THE CITIESTHERE ARE FOUR MAIN LINES OF ACTION AND DESIGN IN PROPOSING GOOD SOLUTIONS THAT PROMOTE THE REALIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY SYSTEMS

1. MAKE IT BETTER (THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT AND THE INNOVATION)PROMOTING LOW IMPACT TRANSPORT MEANS (ELECTRIC, HYBRID TRANSPORTATION MEANS)REDUCING AIR POLLUTION IN THE CITIESRISKS: 1) THE BOOMERANG EFFECT, THAT IS MORE MOBILITY IF CAUSES OF MOBILITY NOT RIGHT

ADDRESSED IN PLANNING PHASES 2) TO MOVE POLLUTION FROM URBAN AREAS TO OTHER PLACES

-2. TRANSFER

PROMOTING ALTERNATIVES TO USE OF CARS, THAT IS (E)CYCLING, SAFE PATHWAYS WALKING, (E)SCOOTERSFINANCING THE SHIFT TOWARDS THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURES

3. CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE (BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE)PLANNING FOR PROXIMITY SCALE SERVICES (INVESTING IN LOCAL ASSETS AND COMMUNITIES LED ECONOMIES), THAT IS REDUCING MOBILITY

4. AVOID BUSINESS AS USUAL SOLUTIONSCONTINUING TO INVEST IN HIGH CARBON IMPACT TRANSPORT MEANSANSWERING THE MOBILITY REQUEST WITH STRENGTHENING OF THE ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY (NEW PARKING PLACES, NEW ROADS…)

1. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACE a) Temporary usesb) Tactical urbanismc) Communities led urban regenerationd) …

2. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TRANSPORT MEANSa) Sharing economy led solutions (car sharing, e scooters sharing)b) Improving quality of public transport (avoid overcrowding, clean means)c) Make superfluous the use of private care on a proximity scaled) …

3. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS IN THE URBAN MOBILITY SYSTEMS

To integrate the offer of mobility keeping in mind the quality of the journey of the citizen (going from A to B should be an easy/integrated combination of public and private services) –new/reloaded pacts between public and private realms are essential to get good and sustainable mobility

4. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ROLES IN THE URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS

STATE OF PLAY: WHERE TO START AGAIN?

REDEFINING THE PACT (S) BETWEEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ACTORS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MOBILITY, BUT ALSO IN THE APPROACH IN THE DESIGN AND RELATION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES ... CAN REALLY OPEN NEW PERSPECTIVES…

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

PIETRO ELISEI