COVID-19 and cities: a systematic review of early urban studies

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered lifestyles in cities, sparking attention in the field of urban planning. While previous research has touched on this topic, a comprehensive overview of the key concerns and areas in need of further investigation is lacking. To fill this gap, we conducted a systematic review and content analysis of early research articles on COVID-19 and urban planning. Our review included the top 100 journals in urban studies, based on the SJR index, and identified 63 relevant articles. We analyzed the content of these articles in terms of the publisher, research origin, methodology, scale, subject, and recommendations. Our analysis revealed that the most frequently discussed topics were urban design and landscape, followed by futurism. Additionally, we identified eight categories of recommended solutions, including the use of flexible design at the neighborhood scale, smart technologies for controlling the presence of people during the pandemic, and biophilic design strategies at the urban scale. These findings provide insights for future research and can inform planning and policy decisions for cities.

KEYWORDS:

• Urban planning
• COVID-19
• urban health
• resilient city
• pandemic crisis
• systematic review

This article is related to:

Research for city practice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maryam Roosta

Maryam Roosta is an urban designer and planner. She's been working as an associated professor of urban design & planning at Shiraz University since 2017. She has received her M.Sc. degrees in the field of Urban Design from IUST and her B.A. in Architecture from SBU, Iran. Her research interests are social sustainability in the field of urban planning and design, quality of urban spaces and urban resiliency. In PhD thesis, she worked on ”social sustainability” and ”urban planning”. She has published more than 30 papers in the international conferences and journals.

Alireza Gholami

Alireza Gholami is a dedicated student and researcher at Shiraz University, fueled by a deep passion for knowledge and achievement. He served as the former president and member of Shiraz University Students Scientific Association of Urban Planning and design and contributed as an editorial board member of student journals. Alireza's active engagement in urban activism and social services, collaborating with NGOs for over four years, reflects his commitment to address urban issues. With a profound interest in the relationship between cities, built environments, and public health, he strives to create healthier, sustainable urban spaces, making valuable contributions to society.

Fatemeh Shahvaran

Fatemeh Shahvaran is a graduate student of Master of Arts in Urban Design from Shiraz University. Fatemeh's expertise in urban design has enabled her to develop innovative solutions for various projects. Her research interests are placemaking and environmental psychology as the two major concepts in designing urban spaces. She also is an urban activist volunteer, cooperating with HamSaakht NGO in conducting various urban issues. She has written some scientific research about citizens' behavior and environmental perception to attract people's participation. Moreover, she has recently joined Chakaad Consultants Engineering. With her talent, dedication, and passion, she is sure to make a significant contribution to the urban design field in the years to come.