Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to tackle the challenges and opportunities of cities' response to COVID-19 and provide cities with policy implications for better adapting to the post-pandemic era. Cities around the world are facing new challenges and have had to adapt to maintain social distancing measures while also addressing equity and social inclusion issues. Research design, data and methodology: The research methodology relies on an examination of existing literature, coupled with trend analysis employing discourse analysis to investigate post-pandemic urban resilience. The article also attempts to employ the concepts of adaptive urbanism and spatial flexibility and their potential to address these challenges not only in response to the pandemic, but also in the long-term. Results: The article explores the impact of COVID-19 on urban spatial structure through a public health lens and proposes actions that cities are able to take to enhance their resilience in the aftermath of the pandemic. Conclusions: It underscores the significance of reconstructing with improved distribution dynamics and provides valuable guidance for companies and policymakers on navigating these challenges. Ultimately, it also suggests that the pandemic has initiated a worldwide restructuring of urban planning, potentially leading to the emergence of smart cities grounded in science and technology.