In addition to humanitarian concerns, this is troubling economic news. According to the WHO, “at a societal level, poor population health is associated with lower savings rates, lower rates of return on capital, and lower levels of domestic and foreign investment; all of these factors can and do contribute to reductions in economic growth.” In designing for a resilient post-pandemic future, wellness will be key driver in all commercial development. Air pollution, insufficient availability of water and healthy food, inactivity, hazardous chemicals and systemic social inequality must all be addressed through planning and design. Existing guidance from the WELL Building Institute and the Center for Active Design will be more relevant than ever as we apply evidence-based wellness standards to design. The WELL Community Standard is particularly important due to its focus on health and wellbeing, adaptability and resilience. LEO A DALY
Flexibility As the pandemic has shown, cities need the flexibility to adapt to new, unexpected conditions without grinding to a halt. This is critical for long-term resilience. Part of this equation will be the elimination of singleuse spaces in favor multi-use spaces. Urban spaces need to function as flexible assets in the 24/7/365 life of the city. The in-between spaces of the urban and suburban landscape must be transformed to enable citizencentric social and economic activities around the clock. Moreover, adaptability must be built in to offer public services or emergency functions when needed. 3D or 4D placemaking will play a key role in economic recovery by creating safer, more attractive and futureproof neighborhoods.