Community Planning in a Post-COVID World
What will residential communities look like after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides? Although sweeping changes aren't likely, architects, planners and developers believe we'll see:
- A greater emphasis on remote working opportunities;
- Safer ways to socialize;
- Appealing amenities; and
- In general, creating places where people really want to be.
Balancing Community and Privacy
Some community-planning concepts are better suited to a post-COVID future, Powers says, specifically New Urbanism. "The movement has always been about re-forming the way we make communities to prioritize that kind of public and semi-public world, as opposed to the way that we, in the past 50 years, have de-prioritized it [by sending] everybody to the patio or backyard," he notes. New Urbanist developments, which are purposely designed to create a sense of community, offer intentional gathering spaces but also plenty of opportunities for accidental interaction. Even multifamily buildings can provide a high-quality outdoor environment, Powers says, by incorporating:- Walking paths and trails;
- Native plant materials;
- Good-size trees;
- Pocket parks; and
- Community green space for residents.