General / Off-Topic The Shape Of Cities In The Future.

Ralph Vargr

Ralph Vargr
With the pandemic, and the economic crisis, the physical size and composition of our cities will change.

Many urban areas will have large retail and service "deserts". This may break large metropolitan areas into enclaves. Each enclave will be it's own city. Walking scale areas will be crucial. Some areas will be abandoned.

This will mean huge physical changes in daily life. Areas that could draw on regions will have to depend on local customers. Supply chains will have reduced economies of scale. Local services and civic functions will be more limited. Re-purposed real estate will only go so far. So will utilities.

Much that exists will be torn down. New infrastructure to replace the aging one will be a massive challenge. Getting regional efforts coordinated will get tougher, as the new polities will compete fiercely.

An example is occupied areas in flood plains. The resources to keep them above water will, ahem, dry up.

Shopping malls are already dying. Large big box stores are in trouble as well.

Eight lane roads to distant exurban areas will be in trouble. So will the exurban communities. The tax bases will diminish. In a generation, battles might be fought to regain burnt-out central cores.

Until we hit bottom, real estate and retail will be risky investments. Winter is here. In June.
 

WhiteHaulerMan

WhiteHaulerMan
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Arry

Arry
I said here, a long time ago.

In the future, there will be walled citadels and wastelands.
 

Arry

Arry
Ralph Vargr said:
With the pandemic, and the economic crisis, the physical size and composition of our cities will change.

Many urban areas will have large retail and service "deserts". This may break large metropolitan areas into enclaves. Each enclave will be it's own city. Walking scale areas will be crucial. Some areas will be abandoned.

This will mean huge physical changes in daily life. Areas that could draw on regions will have to depend on local customers. Supply chains will have reduced economies of scale. Local services and civic functions will be more limited. Re-purposed real estate will only go so far. So will utilities.

Much that exists will be torn down. New infrastructure to replace the aging one will be a massive challenge. Getting regional efforts coordinated will get tougher, as the new polities will compete fiercely.

An example is occupied areas in flood plains. The resources to keep them above water will, ahem, dry up.

Shopping malls are already dying. Large big box stores are in trouble as well.

Eight lane roads to distant exurban areas will be in trouble. So will the exurban communities. The tax bases will diminish. In a generation, battles might be fought to regain burnt-out central cores.

Until we hit bottom, real estate and retail will be risky investments. Winter is here. In June.
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Thinking about the above, one is talking 'shopping'.

Due to the focus is on racism, one can say, that this is a girl thing. Give her the gold card, tell her you want her back is 8 hours and to get her hair done. That means a new out fit, bag and shoes and don't forget the pedicure. But then boys, like to go shopping too; just not the same place as the girls.
We all love to shop, in one form or another and like it or not. When we shop, really shop, we like to touch. There is nothing like picking up the latest, in its' line, admiring the influence of its world redound designer and enjoy feeling the weight, of that new power tool.
So I think, the shop, as we know it, will change. These things evolve, from having six people, pounce on you as you enter the fuel station. Gas, Tyre's, windscreen, sir: To self service, where the 'attendants', lock themselves in a bullet proof box. Most, the people, the jams, will order on-line, which can be done, when working at home. Why pay for office space, when the last couple of months, have show us. The worker, can be made to 'supply' their own work environment. For those who can afford it, the world of selling will go back, 50 to a 100 years ago. Harrods will bring you a selection; PPE, obligatory, of course. Not just Harrods, M&S, John Lewis, etc., etc.. Forelocks will be touched and exorbitant prices will be paid. However: Such stores, will have to have a good, on-line customer base.
The High Street, as we know it, is ready for the retirement home and such places, will be 'themed'. The sea-side, will stay basically the same, little Los Vegas's, but the rest, will be reflections, of a local themes, such as Broadstairs and Charles D**kens.

Edit:- (I don't believe it, Broadstairs, is not making the spell checker happy and you can't say the last name of the block who wrote, Oliver.
 
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askavir

askavir
lysan said:
My advice, get out of the cities, while you still can, it’s a trap!
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I'm truly hoping one of the things that come out of this pandemic is finally remote work becoming a standard thing (for professions that allow it of course). The only single reason why I live in the city is to be closer to the office, and make the daily commute drudge a little more bearable. But I hate living in the city.

I work in IT, I've been a server developer for 20 years, all I ever need is a network connection and a computer in front of me, there is not a single bloody reason why I have to go to an office every day (or even at all).

This is harsh to say with all the death and suffering, but these months of remote work since the pandemic hit were the best months I ever lived, from a purely work perspective. No commute drudge, no wasting money on transportation and restaurants, more free time, more peace and quiet, you're at the most confortable place in the world, the home you made for yourself, even my dogs are loving it. I would hate to go back to the same crap as before, fortunately the company I work for will not go back to the old ways, still no final decision but at least partial remote will become a thing.

But even partial remote will no longer satisfy me, now that I've tasted from the forbidden fruit. Being able to work full time remote is now my top priority, so I can finally fulfill my life long dream of moving out of the city and never look back without having to wait for retirement.

Mainstream remote work would make life so much better for so many people, even for the ones who wouldn't be able to work remotely, as there would be a lot less traffic, less pollution, less overcrowding on public transportation.
 

lysan

lysan
askavir said:
I'm truly hoping one of the things that come out of this pandemic is finally remote work becoming a standard thing (for professions that allow it of course). The only single reason why I live in the city is to be closer to the office, and make the daily commute drudge a little more bearable. But I hate living in the city.

I work in IT, I've been a server developer for 20 years, all I ever need is a network connection and a computer in front of me, there is not a single bloody reason why I have to go to an office every day (or even at all).

This is harsh to say with all the death and suffering, but these months of remote work since the pandemic hit were the best months I ever lived, from a purely work perspective. No commute drudge, no wasting money on transportation and restaurants, more free time, more peace and quiet, you're at the most confortable place in the world, the home you made for yourself, even my dogs are loving it. I would hate to go back to the same crap as before, fortunately the company I work for will not go back to the old ways, still no final decision but at least partial remote will become a thing.

But even partial remote will no longer satisfy me, now that I've tasted from the forbidden fruit. Being able to work full time remote is now my top priority, so I can finally fulfill my life long dream of moving out of the city and never look back without having to wait for retirement.

Mainstream remote work would make life so much better for so many people, even for the ones who wouldn't be able to work remotely, as there would be a lot less traffic, less pollution, less overcrowding on public transportation.
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Good welcome to the real world, rural areas are better in many ways, sure you don't have the commerce, however you got a whole lot of freedom you never will have in the cities. When the SHTF who are you gonna call? the police 😂 get out, make your base, and be free.
 
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