15 minutes of fame – again

Urban planning has always been subject to the prevailing cultural and technical trends of the day. Major epidemics, however, have often been catalysts of change. The cholera outbreaks of the early 19th century gave rise to modern sewerage systems, a result of which was that clean drinking water was made universally available and buildings were thinned out. Public parks were created, where you could take a stroll while keeping a safe distance from others. Rules were laid down for how much light and air a home had to have to minimise the threat of respiratory disease from the pollution generated by industrialisation. The current pandemic, which has engulfed the whole world, could, paradoxically, also have its upsides – one of which could well be the growth in the popularity of the mixed-use quarters that have been slowly appearing in and around the centres of cities. There are districts where pedestrians have the right of way and that feature central squares planted with lush gree