Issue 18: Adapting to a Disrupted World
Urban Solutions is a bi-annual magazine that aims to equip and inspire city leaders, practitioners and allied professionals to make cities more liveable and sustainable.
Last updated on 1 March 2025
In this Issue
All articles are in pdf format each ranging 1-3 MB in file size.
Interview
THE MIND, SKILL AND BODY OF THE NEW
NORMAL IN TOKYO [PDF, 339 KB] (opens in new tab)
YURIKO KOIKE
BIG LESSONS FROM A SMALL CITY [PDF, 289 KB] (opens in new tab)
LAWRENCE WONG
City Focus
NEW WAYS OF LIVING FOR A POST-COVID
FUTURE [PDF, 1.86 MB] (opens in new tab)
PARIS
Opinion
ACTIVE MOBILITY CAN HELP CITIES BOUNCE
FORWARD [PDF, 142 KB] (opens in new tab)
CHINTAN RAVESHIA
CARS WERE GUESTS ON AMSTERDAM’S STREETS
EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC [PDF, 137 KB] (opens in new tab)
SHARON DIJKSMA
Illustration
CITIES ADAPTING TO A NEW NORMAL [PDF, 2.36 MB] (opens in new tab)
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Essay
RETHINKING PLANNING PARADIGMS IN THE
WAKE OF COVID-19 [PDF, 2.89 MB] (opens in new tab)
CHEONG KOON HEAN
CLOSING THE FUNDING GAP FOR GREEN URBAN
INFRASTRUCTURE [PDF, 553 KB] (opens in new tab)
BILL WINTERS
SINGAPORE’S SMART NATION JOURNEY [PDF, 670 KB] (opens in new tab)
DESMOND LEE
BUILDING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE FOR FUTURE
EPIDEMICS [PDF, 770 KB] (opens in new tab)
DANIEL P. ALDRICH AND NORIO SIM
SINGAPORE: FOOD SECURITY DESPITE THE ODDS [PDF, 998 KB] (opens in new tab)
LIM KOK THAI
REFRAMING PUBLIC SPACES AS CIVIC GOODS
FOR RESILIENT CITIES [PDF, 316 KB] (opens in new tab)
KEVIN FAN HSU
Case Study
DIGITAL SOLUTIONS FOR PANDEMIC RESPONSE [PDF, 1.39 MB] (opens in new tab)
WUHAN | LEISHENSHAN HOSPITAL
LANDSCAPE AS AN OPPORTUNITY IN CRISIS [PDF, 1.61 MB] (opens in new tab)
BANGKOK | CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY CENTENARY PARK
PLANNING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES [PDF, 1.56 MB] (opens in new tab)
SINGAPORE | PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS CLINICS
Message from the Executive Director
Cities Embracing the New Normal
The COVID-19 pandemic was the defining event of 2020 and looks set to continue disrupting life across the world. At the same time, cities are grappling with how best to stave off or prepare for the long-term effects of the climate crisis. This has led to growing discussion about the “new normal” for cities in the face of such disruptions.
How have large-scale disruptions changed the way cities live, work and play? What are some good urban solutions that could help cities respond faster and better to unexpected disruptions and make cities liveable and sustainable in the long term?
City leaders and experts offer some key insights: Cities must innovate and plan actively for resilience to prepare for future pandemics and other disruptions. Ideas and practices for liveable and sustainable cities also support resilience and adaptability. And as cities recover from the pandemic, this is a chance to build back better and opt for more sustainable ways of living and working to address the climate crisis.
As we reimagine our cities and continue to learn from one another, I wish you an enjoyable read and hope you find some useful insights in this issue to guide you in embracing the new normal.
Hugh Lim
Executive Director
Centre for Liveable Cities