COVID-19 New Norms in Urbanism & Design: Q&A with Mike Lydon
Co-Founder and Principal of Street Plans
The APA Urban Design Committee is conducting a series of conversations with urbanists who are thinking about the future of Urbanism and Design in the age of COVID-19. Through interviews and personal anecdotes, member Charlie Cunningham is committed to documenting thoughts from prominent Urban Designers on planning amidst the new normal. If you are interested in sharing your thoughts and experiences, please message him on Linkedin and share socially with your network.
Mike Lydon is the Co-Founder and Principal of Street Plans, an Urban Design firm specializing in tactical urbanism, smart growth, public spaces, and complete streets and active transportation in cities around the world. Mike is the creator of the The Open Streets Project and the globally acclaimed Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Change Vol. 1–5.
Charlie Cunningham: What is your role and where do you work?
Mike Lydon: Co-Founder and Principal, Street Plans
Charlie: How long have you been practicing self quarantine, isolation, social distancing, or shelter in place?
Mike: Since March 13th.
Charlie: What was the transition period like for you and your work, friends, and family?
Mike: Abrupt, but with relative comfort given all of the demands and challenges of shrinking your daily footprint to 1,000 sq. ft. We are a very fortunate family and own two apartments on the same floor in our building. My sister-in-law and her boyfriend rent from us down the hall and we share a nanny two blocks away, so while our caretaker is no longer with us daily, we have shifted to a model where 6 adults are looking after two toddlers on a regular schedule. This gives us some adult social time and has made the continuation of focused, remote work possible. It really helps to lean on our village at the moment.
Charlie: How has the pandemic affected your work and daily routine?
Mike: I’m no longer cycling to the office daily; I’m not out and about in the city and I’ve reduced the number of days that I run outside; some days we don’t even leave the house. I’m obviously not traveling for work, which I normally do 1–2 weeks a month so the routine feels more fixed, which is not all bad but is challenging in some ways (too many dishes!).
Charlie: What differences have you noticed in the immediate urban fabric of your neighborhood, city, or quarantine zone?
Mike: It’s so quiet! With less traffic there is less noise and general stress walking around with a toddler, but there is also a sense of having fewer places to go and fewer things to do. We obviously have a responsibility to not linger– so the few trips we take to the grocery store are very focused. I’ve also noticed how adaptable our neighorhoods can be. Two months ago who would have thunk we’d all be dutifully paying attention to duct tape strips on the sidewalk in front of the pharmacy? Remember, on March 1st a good portion of NYC was moaning about the plastic bag ban! How quaint that all seems.
Charlie: As an Urban Design practitioner, what changes to the built or physical environment should become part of the planning and design thought process after COVID-19?
Mike: With a huge reduction in traffic, crashes, pollution, and associated stress we have a unique opportunity to decide how much we invite back into our lives. Public health crises have often led to real innovation in urban policy and form, so it’s something we should be pushing for at this moment. Let’s make our streets safer, more socially relevant places and only invite the car back in as a guest, and as an “essential service” to manage emergencies, provide delivery, and offer an option for those with physical disabilities.
Charlie: As difficult as it may be, has isolation or social distancing had any unexpected benefits?
Mike: Behind the masks people are smiling more with their eyes, and I find that heartening. It’s a reminder that New Yorkers always show their humanity in times of crisis. I am also re-energized each night as our neighborhood claps for essential workers; it underscores that we are interdependent and in this together. With a newly shaved head, I have also developed an even stronger appreciation for my barber, Robert, who I’ve patronized for 9 years.
Charlie: Have you participated in any new routines, invented creative forms of socially distant contact (online happy hours, distant picnics, movie watching parties, etc), supported neighbors, or other urbanist community efforts while in isolation?
Mike: Happy hours and trivia with friends has been great, participating in webinars and meetups with professional colleagues is a big one too, as everyone’s comparing notes and processing what comes next for us socially and professionally. More frequent video chats with extended family is a pleasure.
Charlie: Are there specific ways you have focused on staying positive throughout this temporary new reality?
Mike: I’m generally a positive person so I’m thankful for that disposition at the moment. I’m spending a lot of time thinking and working towards the mid to long-term reset and how this crisis can propel a much more sustainable and just world on the backside. Will we? I’m not sure, but it’s invigorating to throw 100% into pushing forward. I’m also cherishing all of the time with my son. He and I give my lovely wife breaks by going on long runs once or twice a week. I push him in the jogging stroller and we are finding new, unexplored corners of parks together. Normally, I’d run somewhere and turn around. Now we stop and we just hang out for 20 minutes or so. He loves the ferry boats that are still running and I marvel at actually hearing the water lap against the shoreline — you can actually hear that now — or how vivid the skyline can be with such clean air. He won’t remember this time together, but I always will. The midtown skyline is quite the backdrop for processing a pandemic.
Charlie: What haven’t we asked you that we should, and what would your answer be?
Mike: What type of mask are you wearing these days? A cloth mask made by my incredible mother, a lifelong sewer of quilts. The fabric depicts a historic three dimensional plan of Paris! She knows me so well.
About the Author
Charlie Cunningham is a dedicated urbanist and Project Manager at the firm EA Creative in New York City, focusing on the intersection of Urban Design, Architecture, and Technology at the human level. You can follow more of his photos, stories, and current fieldwork on Instagram and Twitter @charlieprima.
Voices of Urban Design is a discussion forum that is curated by the APA New York Metro Chapter’s Urban Design Committee. Posts are edited for clarity and length only; opinions and statements that appear in this blog are not endorsed by the American Planning Association nor its affiliates. We expect and encourage healthy debate!
