The future of our cities — branding places and spaces
Brands compete with each other. Do places? Of course.
Brands only exist in our minds, yet places exist in reality. 2020 has forced us to sharpen our focus and question how we interact with the places and spaces of our cities. For most of us, it’s our homes that we’ve formed a deeper relationship with; and they've undergone a big shift in the way we use them. If you’re still working from home, you might not have seen how the places and spaces within our cities have changed.
The property market was already transforming at a quick clip. Now we have a generational event to grapple with. If you’ve been mindful enough to consider what’s important in your own life, you can bet that private companies have done so, too. Property developers are after our attention because — don't tell anyone, — they’re after our money. As we emerge from this pandemic, what will places and spaces need to provide? What will we view differently from before?
We’ll enjoy crowded spaces less. We’ll acknowledge personal spaces more. We’ll seek out hygiene. Caution, courtesy, cleanliness. Win, win, win.
We’re already used to circular graphics on shop floors every two metres. One-way directional arrows and one-person zones cut from strips of yellow and black tape are approached with a similar level of care to colouring inside the lines. For a lot of us, it’s the first time we’ve registered the importance of wayfinding. We’re learning.
Our mobility patterns will change, too. With buses and trains being notorious infectious zones, we’ll be happier to walk or cycle. We’ll manage our time better and chalk up the extra exercise as a bonus health benefit that we needed, which it is.
Planes are grounded and for most of us, holidays are now staycations. It’s almost impossible to book a countryside BnB inside the UK’s borders this summer, so neighbourhoods are the new destinations, even in our home cities. Hotel lobbies that were once a hive of vibrating jostle have been repurposed into calming, considered safe-zones offering respite from ‘the spread’.
Forget guns and gold. After time, space is the most precious investment we can make. Space to escape for a while. Space to think, to breathe. Space to create, recalibrate, to switch off from tech, from Zoom. We didn't see a resurgence in the fidget spinner, thank goodness, but the painting and puzzle trend soared for a reason. Just think how you’ve personally used outdoor space over the past few months, and how much you valued it.
Places will need our help as we move back into the fast lane. Soon neighbourhoods, cities and indeed countries will need to do three things: encourage businesses to invest, support communities already living there and attract tourists to visit.
How do they do this? Designers. Put in its simplest terms, designers use words, colours, shapes and pictures to help people understand quicker. It’s important when we need to feel safe and hygienic. It’s doubly important in an unfamiliar place or space.
So, hear ye, hear ye! Property developers, town planners, town councils, workspace consultants, real estate agents... The future of our cities requires you to engage with disparate thinkers to solve problems. Our collective future is counting on you to help make places and spaces better for people.
Also, let’s start a conversation.
Photo by Mark Claus on Unsplash