DIY urban planning: New purpose for cycling lanes and parking space

Tactical urbanism has been increasingly common in many cities worldwide since the end of lockdowns. — AFP

The health crisis and its consequences have meant that cities around the world have required reconfiguring – and quickly. This DIY form of urban planning, involving scotch tape on supermarket floors or ephemeral bike paths, is called tactical urbanism. And while it was often associated with certain forms of militancy in the past, it could become a new way of reshaping cities so that they evolve with their inhabitants.

New bike lanes, temporary pedestrianisation of streets, reclaiming parking spots and vacant lots – initiatives like these have been increasingly common in many cities worldwide since the end of lockdowns, notably in France, as well as in Colombia, the United States and New Zealand. This practice is called “tactical urbanism” and it takes the form of a movement to actively transform urban environments and reclaim city streets.