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After the pandemic, human nature will keep cities alive

  • Writer: Steve Price
    Steve Price
  • May 25, 2020
  • 1 min read

Sprawl may surge for a time if we ignore the fundamental needs of human habitat.


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Commentators in the newspapers and social media are predicting Americans will return to auto-oriented suburbia after the frightening experience of the COVID-19 pandemic—that low density suburbs will increase in popularity by offering a sanitary separation from other people that denser, walkable communities don’t. But this perfectly logical deduction ignores the complexity of our animal motivations.


Density is being blamed as the handmaid of the pandemic, which in the future will turn people off from walkable towns and cities. It makes rational sense: more people in a given area exposes you to more diseased people. Yet all current evidence shows that coronavirus is spread by exhalations of droplets from an infected person to another nearby person within undivided space, especially indoors. There is no indication that a wall with two layers of drywall and sound insulation between apartment neighbors is riskier than a barrier of lawn and shrubs. There are so many factors influencing the spread. If density is at fault, how do you explain the disparity in death rates between New York City, measured in the thousands, and Hong Kong, with only a handful?


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32 Comments


Geneva Mae
Geneva Mae
5 days ago

Learning about groundworks in construction gives professionals the tools to ensure building stability and longevity. The College of Contract Management teaches all aspects of groundwork, from trenching to foundation laying. This knowledge prepares you for real-world challenges in construction projects. Many have sharpened their skills and advanced in their careers after completing the course.

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John Smith
John Smith
Oct 28

Great article your insight that human nature, not just infrastructure, keeps cities alive resonates deeply. As someone involved in Law Dissertation Writing, I see a parallel: just as the built environment supports us, well‐crafted legal scholarship supports vibrant discourse in society.

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Ibad ur Rehman
Ibad ur Rehman
Oct 20

Great read your breakdown of how human nature trumps fleeting pandemic fears is spot on. That Hong Kong vs. NYC comparison really drives home that density isn't destiny when it comes to disease; it's all about those shared indoor moments we can't escape anywhere. As someone who's always chased the buzz of urban energy think late-night walks in bustling neighborhoods over cookie-cutter cul de-sacs, I couldn't agree more that we'll snap back to loving our walkable cities soon enough. It's like how even in uncertain times, folks are still Googling curiosities such as Hugo Armstrong net worth to daydream about success stories thriving in those vibrant hubs. Sprawl might get a temporary win, but human grit and our love for…

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nyla harper
nyla harper
Sep 26

Modern education in construction benefits from combining classroom theory with professional application. Within the College of Contract Management, courses are arranged to reflect this integration of skills and practice. The role of a controls project manager appears in case examples that focus on forecasting, budgeting, and performance tracking.

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Bagas 31
Bagas 31
Sep 25

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