Amid the sadness that has arisen from the Covid-19 crisis, there have also been some significant design lessons for the public, design professionals and politicians in appreciating the value of our temporarily lost and adapted urban lifestyles and landscapes. 

Where previously crowded and vehicle dominated places have been necessarily restricted, the public has instead been heading to their local streets, squares and parks where social distancing measures have been implemented. These changes in public realm use and spatial guidance combined with fewer vehicle movements and slower speeds on roads, have had a knock-on effect, with desirable improvements in air quality, noise reduction and increased road safety. 

Looking to the recovery and regeneration now needed, it is essential that the recently gained observations are integrated into existing best practice for public realm design. 

There is a similarity to the issues raised by street design to deter and prevent terrorism. This has seen more unobtrusive options replace the temporary, often garish, concrete and metal black and yellow blockers that take up space and have been considered unattractive in layout and form, particularly when in heritage settings and landscapes. Although practical, these have been progressively replaced with considered product designs, that have a local sense of place. In parallel, the current social distancing measures on historic and modern streets have included temporary, plastic green and red barriers, red and white bollards and the use of black and yellow paints and tapes. These security measures are now being reconsidered for their design-life costs, and replaced with the use of materials and forms more appropriate to blending in with their location.

Bourne Valley Wharf © Benedict Luxmoore