COVID-19 and cities: a systematic review of early urban studies

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered lifestyles in cities, sparking attention in the field of urban planning. While previous research has touched on this topic, a comprehensive overview of the key concerns and areas in need of further investigation is lacking. To fill this gap, we conducted a systematic review and content analysis of early research articles on COVID-19 and urban planning. Our review included the top 100 journals in urban studies, based on the SJR index, and identified 63 relevant articles. We analyzed the content of these articles in terms of the publisher, research origin, methodology, scale, subject, and recommendations. Our analysis revealed that the most frequently discussed topics were urban design and landscape, followed by futurism. Additionally, we identified eight categories of recommended solutions, including the use of flexible design at the neighborhood scale, smart technologies for controlling the presence of people during the pandemic, and biophilic design strategies at the urban scale. These findings provide insights for future research and can inform planning and policy decisions for cities.