How Covid-19 will change the architecture of cities: Business of Design Week 2020 speakers on making them greener and less divided

Architects in Hong Kong event will discuss the pandemic’s impact, bringing more nature into urban spaces, and the return of hotel design that makes a statement

After the isolation of lockdown one architect envisages informal spaces at work that encourage social interaction, and ‘serene’ spaces devoid of visual clutter

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L'Arbre Blanc (The White Tree) in Montpellier, France was designed by Sou Fujimoto – one of the architects taking part in Hong Kong’s Business of Design Week online this month, and one of several who believe cities need to break down the barriers between urban environments and nature. Photo: Iwan Baan

Published: 10:45am, 28 Nov 2020Updated: 2:20pm, 1 Dec 2020

Travel restrictions won’t stop some of the brightest creative minds contributing ideas to this year’s Business of Design Week (BODW) in Hong Kong, which is being held in a virtual format for the first time.

Anchored by the BODW Summit (December 3-5), the event is an annual festival of design-related events that aims to foster collaboration among creators, businesses and community organisations. In its online format, the summit will be simulcast live on television and social media, with selected sessions streamed on ViuTV channel.

Under the theme Vision 20/21, the event will gauges future trends by tapping the insights of more than 70 leading global figures in the fields of design, innovation and brands.

Among the guest speakers is London-based Sadie Morgan, a founding director of Stirling Prize-winning dRMM Architects, who will ponder the nature of work in the post-Covid-19 era, which she believes will take greater account of the needs and desires of individuals.

Sadie Morgan of dRMM Architects ponders the nature of work in the post-Covid-19 era. Photo: dRMM

In the short term, Morgan expects more greening of city buildings, with internal and external living walls, initiatives such as bee-keeping, as well as the provision of informal spaces that encourage social interaction, and mobile apps that keep occupants up to date with social activities.

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