From the diffused city to dispersion into the abandoned villages, or: the new solitude of the compact city

Abstract

The new SARS/Covid-19 pandemic did not bring to light any major defects in the compact city, but gave its detractors another opportunity to attack it by endorsing the accusation that its density makes it insanitary. But even were we to accept that diagnosis, we are currently unable to imagine what kind of new architecture could make the city secure against any pandemics, of whatever kind. What we can do, instead, is defend the idea of the historic city, counter the new problems we face of social inequality and housing, re-assert the central importance of public space, redesign the inner suburbs, and map out a new type of territorial polycentrism. The great loser of the present pandemic has been populism; now is also the time to definitively unmask populism in architecture, with its much vaunted smart buildings and its vertical (or horizontal, or diagonal) forests.

Keywords

• città compatta
• vita urbana
• spazio pubblico
• densità abitativa
• policentrismo territoriale