Public space or safe space – remarks during the COVID-19 pandemic
Author
Jasiński, Artur
Published in
Technical Transactions
Numbering
Vol. 117, iss. 1
Release date
2020
Place of publication
Kraków
Publisher
Wydawnictwo Politechniki Krakowskiej
Magazine section
Architecture and Urban Planning
Language
English
eISSN
2353-737X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.37705/TechTrans/e2020020
Keywords
public space, private space, physical distancing, social segregation, mediatisation of life
Abstract
The coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak and its immediate impact on all aspects of human life have changed the way we use public space in our cities. People have been forced to adopt social isolation measures and wear masks. Street life has ground to a halt and public transport use has plummeted, while social facilities such as restaurants, clubs and cinemas have been closed. The relationship between private and public space has been reversed: public space has become deserted while private space, one of luxury, has been available only to the richest. The behaviour and interactions between people in public space have also changed. The paper analyses the above phenomena and raises questions about the future of metropolitan public spaces after the COVID-19 pandemic.
