Confined—some with more square footage than others. I was reminded of the film Medianeras, the Argentine movie in which the protagonist reflects on urban loneliness, speaking of "studio apartments" or shoeboxes, but also of virtual encounters. That cinematic reality from 2011 feels even more real today, as we begin to plan virtual happy hours.
The current challenge is to rethink the city through a new lens. For urbanists, the coronavirus pandemic forces us to question the very urban models we have promoted—integrated, mixed-use development designed to foster social interaction in public spaces.
History shows that urban hubs emerge from religious and commercial gatherings, as well as from the expansion of pathways, roads, and railways. The famous bazaars of Ancient Egypt were gathering places that, along with other synergies these spaces fostered, gradually shaped settlements, towns, cities, and borders.
