The COVID-19 pandemic is a warning to our cities to be prepared for the next crisis. It teaches us lessons on the necessity of maintaining strong community bonds and the importance of spaces for developing and benefiting from such bonds. Due to lockdowns, people had more time to explore their own neighborhoods, which led to a greater recognition of the need for access to community hubs within walking distance. We also witnessed experiments in “Tactical Urbanism”, as streets in cities all around the world were given over to cyclists, pedestrians, and restaurants to meet the spatial requirements for physical distancing. Tactical Urbanism, also known as Guerrilla Urbanism, refers to an approach to modify urban built environment, using temporary, low-cost, and scalable interventions to improve local neighborhoods or city gathering places.
In response to the pandemic, cities had to quickly repurpose public spaces to facilitate outdoor gatherings. OpenNorfolk Program, in Norfolk, Virginia, applied tactical urbanism tools to benefit its residents. This program implemented three kinds of projects to address the problems caused by the public health crisis: 1) “Streateries” or outdoor dining in the street, which allowed small businesses to continue operating safely. 2) Prioritizing pedestrian mobility and providing safe outdoor activities through changing streetscape. This slowed down traffic and encouraged pedestrian activity. 3) “Neighborhood Spots” – pop-up community squares or hubs, which kept talented artists employed. Therefore, OpenNorfolk Program, as the result of a successful collaboration among designers, city staff, and other partners, helped Norfolk city back on its feet, and lifted the spirits of the residents in the time of pandemic.