Resistant Cities. Urban Planning as Means for Pandemic Prevention (RECIPE).

This workshop begun by a quick description about the RECIPE project (its main objectives, collaborators, the project consortium, etc.). A quick introduction about historical and contemporary healthy urban planning approaches was also given by Prof. Helka-Liisa Hentilä. The link between urbanization and various infectious diseases was explored, through some concrete examples of pandemics (Black deaths, cholera, tuberculosis, etc.). We’ve learned that urban planning could be a tool for combating disease and illness (e.g through Water and Sewerage systems and waste management, buildings’ configuration, home cleaning, separation of functions within the house, etc.) but also a means of promoting health and well-being. After the introduction, the workshop began.

The principal question addressed in the workshop was the following: How should the post-industrial European Cities be planned and designed to sustain better citizens’ health and well-being? Three questions were asked to the participants: Q1. How should the european cities be planned and re-designed, if the aim is: A. Disease and disease control perspectives; B. Health and Well-being perspectives; C. planetary health perspectives. 20-25 minutes were given to answer these questions in heterogeneous groups of 5 people. The second question was “What should change in urban planning and design for the vision (themes A, B, C) to become a reality? The same amount of time was also given and finally the third part was dedicated (10’) to a wrap-up about future steps for citizens, decision-makers and researchers.