New living and working spaces in the post-pandemic city: a structural change to improve wellbeing

This chapter examines how the Covid-19 pandemic reshaped the relationship between urban environments, living spaces, working places, and wellbeing. Covid-19 crisis accelerated pre-existing transformations in cities, including the growing importance of green and public spaces, digital connectivity, remote work, flexible housing, and hybrid office models. At the same time, it also introduced new behaviours and lifestyles. By analysing changes in urban mobility, housing preferences, and commercial real estate, the chapter highlights the emergence of more adaptable, multifunctional, and proximity-based urban forms. Post-pandemic urban planning and design should prioritise resilience, wellbeing, sustainability, and equitable access to services, with concepts such as flexible buildings, biophilic workplaces, and the 15-minute city offering promising directions for future urban development.