Should architecture and urban design adjust in response to COVID-19?

For the most part, no.

First, a caveat—at this point, much about COVID-19 is unknown, and the associated coronavirus is continuing to mutate, so any kind of prognostication should be approached cautiously. However, if the COVID-19 pandemic turns out to be similar to the 1918-19 “Spanish Flu” pandemic, the closest modern precedent, then some lessons can be inferred.

One can easily understand the good intentions of the authors of the many articles that suggest that a major overhaul of architectural and urban design thinking is needed in response to COVID-19—everyone wants to think that the situation can be controlled, if only “blank, blank, and blank” are addressed.

However, buildings can last for centuries, and cities for millennia, but modern pandemics typically last around two years. In the United States, the 1918-19 influenza pandemic was detected in March 1918 and essentially concluded by the summer of 1919—without 21^st century medical technology, or a vaccine. Why adjust the enduring to account for the transient?

Rather than talk about how architecture and urban design should immediately change in light of COVID-19, the conversation should focus more on what should be studied. Did “Old World urbanism” contribute to the tragic situations in Italy and Spain? And if so, why were other European countries such as Germany and the Scandinavian nations not as affected? Did some aspect of the urban fabric of New York City led to so many cases and deaths there? When these questions are answered, which will require time, the design community can apply the lessons learned in preparation for the next pandemic.

At this time, the architectural and urban design response to COVID-19 should be more targeted, focused on temporary measures, or measures with multiple benefits, such as the following:

Users of mass transportation should wear facemasks, as people do in many parts of Asia
Dense urban areas need more and larger green spaces, which is true regardless of COVID-19
HVAC systems should be retrofitted to improve filtration and disinfection, which would help indoor air quality, regardless of COVID-19
More people may work from home, which will reduce the need for office space and energy for commuting, but may require additional space at home (i.e. home offices)

In contrast to COVID-19, global climate change presents a long-term threat to cities and their occupants. That threat will not pass in two years; thus, architects and urban designers should remain laser-focused on using the enduring quality of buildings and cities to address energy consumption and other aspects of sustainability.

An article on post-COVID-19 changes to houses: link

A CDC article on the 1918-19 influenza pandemic: link