What Gensler's New Cities Research Reveals About the Return of the City
Welcome to Research by Gensler, a data-inspired newsletter from the Gensler Research Institute about design, work, and the future of cities.??
Click subscribe above to be notified of future editions.???
Throughout history, pandemics have set urban revival and reinvention in motion. After the bubonic plague, city leaders in medieval Europe reorganized and expanded urban areas to decrease over-crowding. In the aftermath of 1918’s Great Influenza, local governments introduced civic improvements around healthcare and labor regulations. Our research shows that we are once again at a pivotal historical moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Gensler’s latest Cities research — a retrospective look at how the urban experience changed in 15 global cities between 2021 and 2023 — urban residents are feeling more positive, engaged, and optimistic in 2023 than they did in 2021 when COVID was still impacting most parts of city life.?The appeal of cities remains strong and will likely grow in the years to come.?
Two-thirds of urban residents are feeling better about their neighborhoods.?
Density is a draw again — urban residents want to move to cities with more people.?
When it comes to urban life, residents are more optimistic and engaged.?
领英推荐
Why this shift? ?
This evolution in how people feel about urban centers can also be traced back to COVID-19. During the worst of the lockdown period, in-person social interactions were limited. Now, demand for these connections has generated new investment in entertainment districts and safe, affordable, live-work neighborhoods.
The most successful post-pandemic cities are ones that have livable urban centers with buildings and places that value the human experience. Those that are struggling have been slow to transition away from dated urban plans like single-use central business districts.?
We’ve seen the shift in how workers view the workplace, and the ways in which our downtowns are responding. Now, it’s time for these urban zones to come back better than ever and offer residents, employees, and local visitors the housing, transit, and experiences that they need.?
In our latest report, “The Return of the City: A 2024 Retrospective of the City Pulse,” we explore how attitudes have shifted across cities and dive deep into six city-specific case studies. Download the full report here.?
Written by Sofia Song, Global Cities Lead at Gensler?
More stats and stories you need to know.?
Join the conversation. Does your city provide everything you want/need? What else could your city do to be a better place to live????
Architectural Photographer?? | Helping Architects, Contractors, and Manufacturers showcase your work to the world?? | SF Bay Area - Northern California
5 个月Exciting to see cities worldwide transforming through residents' perspectives! ?? Kudos to Gensler for revealing these shifts and sparking change. Can't wait to see how our cities evolve!
Architect/ Project manager LTC building
5 个月Thanks for sharing the research and their outcomes I still think that different generations want different things. For example seniors want to be able to be less dependent, do their shopping , go to theatres without the hassle of transportation and full dependent on others. Younger generations want to be close to their work because they don’t want to spend 2-3 hours daily in transit, they want to use their time effectively to be with their families.( schools location, daycare facilities, parks and restaurants locations are Therefore important. I think creating smaller urban communities with full services responding to each generation will provide improved access and environment for all . Furthermore, in case of future pandemic easir to segregate services . The multi generational approach has it pros and cons Although older generations want to be with younger adults and kids , they still need quiet time longer sleeping hours .Your thoughts
Executive Leader | Construction Management | End-to-End Project Execution | Triple-Digit Cost Reduction | Stakeholder Satisfaction | Project Due Diligence & Quality Control | Risk Management & Contingency Planning.
5 个月Interesting article! I’m curious if your research considered how cities have repurposed street parking for outdoor seating and, in some cases, closed entire roads to traffic. This shift, largely a response to COVID-19, echoes the cherished walkability and engaging atmosphere of many European cities. It’s disappointing to see this trend reversing, with the return to the usual congestion where cars once again take precedence over pedestrians. I wonder what the same research would reveal if conducted this year?
Architect-in-Training
5 个月I think more research is needed. In NYC, for example, it’s infrastructure is becoming more strained, from flooding issues to street sanitation concerns to brown—out days due to high electricity use during the summer months.From a geological standpoint, can the borough of Manhattan take on more and taller buildings? Let’s not forget that it’s becoming more expensive to live in Manhattan. There’s more to do.