The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated a multitude of pre-existing issues in Chicago. Yet, the pandemic has also sparked new ideas for how cities could be designed and built, including reduced emphasis on the priorities of commuters, more opportunities to travel car-free, increased accommodation for walkers and bikers, the expansion of outdoor dining and social areas, and more equitable access to green space and (in Chicago, at least) the lakefront. What could Chicago look like if we built upon the urban planning ideas inspired by the pandemic?
Join Chicago Studies and Emily Talen, Professor of Urbanism in the Division of Social Sciences and the College, and Faculty Co-Director of Chicago Studies, for her presentation on The Post-COVID City, a reflection on the urban life we could all enjoy if we took the pandemic’s urban planning lessons seriously. Dr. Talen's research is devoted to urban design and the relationship between the built environment and social equity. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and is the author of several books on urban design, most recently Neighborhood (Oxford, 2018). Her presentation is a part of our Chicago Futures series, a lecture series focused on imagining the future of Chicago through turbulent times. Chicago Futures is co-sponsored by the Office of the President. Register for our Spring series via Zoom.
Resources mentioned within this event recording include: