Open issues and opportunities to guarantee the “right to the ‘healthy’ city” in the post-Covid-19 European city

Abstract

This paper approaches the post- Covid-19 city in a historical perspective to reflect on new solutions for a common European urban development. The work deals with two features within the debate on post-pandemic territories. First, to comprehend that the current issues affecting the European city (such as socio-spatial segregation, urban inequalities, and environmental issues) are not just due to the pandemic. Instead, such issues dated back to the mid-19th-century Haussmannization patterns and their evolution over time. Second, to provide some tips to foster a debate on the management of the existing urban environment in the post-pandemic period. Emphasis is put on some concepts and key points regarding the post-Covid-19 city. Despite not being new or innovative, the approaches of ‘15-minute city’ and ‘Superblocks’ models approaches are suitable to develop a healthier, safer, and more ecologically and socio-economic balanced city in response to the 2020 pandemic outbreak in Europe.