In late June and early July, during a virtual conference organized by the Polish branch of the Urban Land Institute, a group of experts discussed how cities can recover from the current crisis. Panelists considered the impact of the pandemic on the condition of cities in the context of climate change preparedness, sustainable financing, health and technology. The conference program included such issues as the city of the future, sustainability vs. investment and mass digitization, among others.
Due to recommendations on social distancing, this year's ULI Poland conference was moved to a virtual space, making the event accessible to audiences around the world. The program of the event included presentations and analysis by foreign architects (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, MVRDV and SLA Copenhagen studios), innovators from various organizations and companies (reSITE, Global Resilient Cities Network, Blue Zones, Measurabl, Fifth Wall, Zalando), as well as representatives of investors (Echo Investment, Ghelamco, Hines, Immobel, Skanska).
conference speakers
© organizers archive
city of the future
The assembled experts agreed that the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the weaknesses of cities, which, they stressed, should be better prepared for change and become more humane. The reevaluation of the role of social interaction and the human connection to nature, which became apparent during the quarantine, was also a topic of discussion. In their view, the isolation and health crisis should lead to a reduction in the density of workers in the office in the future, with an increase in outdoor meeting spaces.
Instead of making far-reaching proposals that rarely live to see full implementation, we should look at cities as natural, urban ecosystems that can be adapted and tuned to rapid change. Despite the pandemic, cities continue to serve millions of people as a place where they can live, work, relax and meet their daily needs and enjoy social interaction. Cities have never been needed as much as they are now," said Daniel Ringelstein, director of urban planning at Skidmore Owings & Merrill.
How to prepare for climate change?
Billy Grayson (Urban Land Institute), Gideon Maasland (MVRDV), Andrei Ivan (Skanska) and Matthew Grabiec (Baker McKenzie) discussed the need to look for long-term solutions to climate change that would reduce immediate threats, such as extreme weather or the current pandemic. The experts spoke about the growing interest in this issue among investors, who increasingly want to build their real estate portfolios with climate resilience in mind.
We are building something tangible, often for generations. But the essence of the value we bring to society goes far beyond the physical places we create. When it comes to the climate, our industry is responsible for 40 percent of energy-related emissions worldwide. We have a huge role to play in the fight against climate change, and as a result, we plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045," said Andrei Ivan, Skanska's director of sustainability and innovation.
The good of future generations
Urban planners, architects and real estate professionals are looking for sensible and innovative solutions that reconcile the need to keep people at a safe distance with concern for their health and well-being. The experts taking part in the conference - Dan Burden (Blue Zones), Marnix Galle (Immobel), Mette Skjold (SLA) and Justyna Bauta-Szostak(MDDP) - believe that a more nature-based approach may be the answer. The "grown" environment would complement the built environment, helping to create a healthy urban ecosystem. Wouldn't we prefer to live in a metropolis that functions similarly to a lush forest?
Urban planning and real estate either encourage healthy behavior, or the opposite. The more places in our neighborhood that we can walk or bike to, the leaner and healthier we become. We've seen that the only places in the world where the health of residents has sustainably improved have undergone long-term changes in what is known as the built environment," said Dan Burden, Blue Zones' director of innovation and inspiration.
The entire series of webinars from this year's ULI Poland virtual conference will be available to view online on the Knowledge Finder international platform, where ULI members will find an extensive library of specialized materials.
