When the pandemic hit Europe in March, life as we know it changed almost overnight... With no longer having to work in offices, what role would the modern city have going forward? People sought refuge from the virus and to escape crowded, expensive cities by moving to the countryside. Experts are starting to wonder whether this trend will continue even after the pandemic is finished. Is the era of the city over?

Almost a year into the pandemic, with no clear end to the restrictions in sight, industry experts are concerned about what the future of cities holds. Will people stay on the farms for good? Or will people move back into cities when they feel safe? How do we actually make people feel safe enough to return? Like all sectors, the pandemic has highlighted the pre-existing flaws of our cities, and issues like housing affordability, air pollution, access to parks, and safe transportation. City planners and urban design experts are now discussing how to resolve issues that have long been festering, but are now urgently needing to be solved.

People escaping cities in favor of the countryside.

While there has been a noteworthy trend of people escaping cities in favor of the countryside, these numbers tend to be lower in Europe than in the US. When the pandemic started many affluent New Yorkers escaped to their second homes upstate, while Silicon Valley techies scattered around the country. In Europe, people are more loyal to their cities—at least according to their data—and fled at lesser rates. Regardless, the pressure is still on European cities to quickly evolve—they are investing heavily in more pedestrian and bicycle lanes, and increasing inter-city access to parks and other green spaces. What would take years to implement has been happening within the span of only a few months—in some regards, the pandemic has allowed for the fast-track evolution of modern cities. Though it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many people have left European cities as a result of the pandemic, it’s estimated nearly 700,000 people left London in 2020. Keep in mind, some of these could have been foreign workers leaving in response to Brexit, so it’s difficult to gain a completely accurate perspective. Next to this, a survey from Arup reported that roughly 41% of Londoners had moved out of the city at some point during the pandemic. This was much lower in cities like Madrid, Berlin and Milan, where only 10% left and about 20% in Paris.

“In the 19th century, the response to cholera in London brought big infrastructure, the sewer network. I hope Covid-19 will lead to lots of smaller scale but widespread interventions.” Malcolm Smith, Arup Urban Design.

While Europeans may not be fleeing cities at alarming rates, the pandemic can still help city planners make the necessary improvements to lessen traffic, create cleaner air, offer green spaces and work on more affordable housing options.

When the pandemic hit Europe in March, life as we know it changed almost overnight... With no longer having to work in offices, what role would the modern city have going forward? People sought refuge from the virus and to escape crowded, expensive cities by moving to the countryside. Experts are starting to wonder whether this trend will continue even after the pandemic is finished. Is the era of the city over?

Talk to us: Do you think people will continue to move to the suburbs or countryside even after the pandemic ends? to Let us know in the comments below, we would love to hear from you.

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