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New urban habits in Stockholm following COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Ann Legeby

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden)

  • Daniel Koch

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden)

  • Fábio Duarte

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
    Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Brazil)

  • Cate Heine

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

  • Tom Benson

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

  • Umberto Fugiglando

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

  • Carlo Ratti

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing, mobility restrictions and self-isolation measures were implemented around the world as the primary intervention to prevent the virus from spreading. Urban life has undergone sweeping changes, with people using spaces in new ways. Stockholm is a particularly relevant case of this phenomenon since most facilities, such as day care centres and schools, have remained open, in contrast to cities with a broader lockdown. In this study, we use Twitter data and an online map survey to study how COVID-19 restrictions have impacted the use of different locations, services and amenities in Stockholm. First, we compare the spatial distribution of 87,000 geolocated tweets pre-COVID-19 and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, we analyse 895 survey responses asking people to identify places they ‘still visit’, ‘use more’, ‘avoid’ and self-report reasons for using locations. The survey provides a nuanced understanding of whether and how restrictions have affected people. Service and seclusion were found to be important; therefore, the accessibility of such amenities was analysed, demonstrating how changes in urban habits are related to conditions of the local environment. We find how different parts of the city show different capacities to accommodate new habits and mitigate the effects of restrictions on people’s use of urban spaces. In addition to the immediate relevance to COVID-19, this paper thus contributes to understanding how restrictions on movement and gathering, in any situation, expose more profound urban challenges related to segregation and social inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann Legeby & Daniel Koch & Fábio Duarte & Cate Heine & Tom Benson & Umberto Fugiglando & Carlo Ratti, 2023. "New urban habits in Stockholm following COVID-19," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(8), pages 1448-1464, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:60:y:2023:i:8:p:1448-1464
    DOI: 10.1177/00420980211070677
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oum, Tae Hoon & Wang, Kun, 2020. "Socially optimal lockdown and travel restrictions for fighting communicable virus including COVID-19," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 94-100.
    2. Maxime Lenormand & Miguel Picornell & Oliva G Cantú-Ros & Antònia Tugores & Thomas Louail & Ricardo Herranz & Marc Barthelemy & Enrique Frías-Martínez & José J Ramasco, 2014. "Cross-Checking Different Sources of Mobility Information," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(8), pages 1-10, August.
    3. Jonathan Rokem & Laura Vaughan, 2019. "Geographies of ethnic segregation in Stockholm: The role of mobility and co-presence in shaping the ‘diverse’ city," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(12), pages 2426-2446, September.
    4. Shima Hamidi & Sadegh Sabouri & Reid Ewing, 2020. "Does Density Aggravate the COVID-19 Pandemic?," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(4), pages 495-509, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Scott Orford & Yingling Fan & Philip Hubbard, 2023. "Urban public health emergencies and the COVID-19 pandemic. Part 1: Social and spatial inequalities in the COVID-city," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(8), pages 1329-1345, June.
    2. Luca, Davide & Özgüzel, Cem & Wei, Zhiwu, 2024. "The new geography of remote jobs in Europe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 123880, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Luca, Davide & Özgüzel, Cem & Wei, Zhiwu, 2024. "The spatially uneven diffusion of remote jobs in Europe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122651, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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