What Pandemic-Era Experiments Can Teach Us About the Future of Public Space

When the pandemic hit, cities around the world turned parking spaces into lively outdoor dining areas known as “streeteries” or “COVID cafés.” For a moment, sidewalks, streets, and parklets became some of the city’s most vibrant spaces. However, the rise and fall of these installations also highlighted a deeper story: how policies, regulations, and local politics determine who is allowed to use the street—and who is not.

This panel brings together researchers and local practitioners studying how streeteries spread across cities, with a spotlight on Philadelphia's experience, and why some neighborhoods experienced many while others saw few, and how shifting rules ultimately led to many of them disappearing. Their work sheds light on a bigger question facing cities everywhere: Will temporary pandemic experiments lead to lasting improvements in how we design and share public space?

Join us for a conversation about what cities—including Philadelphia—got right, what proved challenging, and what these lessons mean for the future of our streets and public space.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Josh Davidson, Assistant Professor of Data Science and Computer Science, Oberlin College
• Ariel Ben-Amos, Adjunct Faculty, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of Pennsylvania; Policy and Partnerships Group Supervisor, Philadelphia Water Department; and Founder, StreetBoxPHL

PHOTO: Outdoor dining at Booker’s restaurant in West Philadelphia. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)