Sociopetality or sociofugality? The effects of post-pandemic on public open space

Abstract

To reduce the virus spread during the COVID-19, “new norms” of daily life were adopted. With urban design strategies characterizing one such norm, public spaces experienced transformations. This study examines the post-pandemic public space Üç Fidan Park in Bursa, Turkey. The study performed a mixed-methods research, including 40 visits to observe behaviors in the selected public spaces in the park during the pandemic. To enforce social distancing, new spatial behavior typologies, i.e., using additional equipment or just the human body itself, were recorded.