1/ I've always been persuaded that most policymakers have little understanding of the spatial implications of their policies. That because policymaking is mostly dominated by discursive and econometric logics.
An example? Electric cars charging stations.
I will explain why
An example? Electric cars charging stations.
I will explain why
2/ With the next generation EU and Biden's infrastructure plan taking shape, the economic and environmental opportunities and trade-offs of electrifying cars have been discussed a lot in the public debate. Important resources have been committed to expand charging infrastructure
3/ But beyond energy and economy, there is an impact that has almost not been mentioned: where will this charging station be actually built? They won't exist in theory, out of our Euclidean space. They will need to make their space in a congested urban environment.
4/ The most plausible outcome is that those charging infrastructure will end up mostly on sidewalks, a space already contended by the multiple needs of city life: trees, streetlights, parking meters, bollards, trash bins, bike lanes, traffic cameras etc.
5/ Imagine what it will mean spatially to put chargers in as few as 10-20% of existing parking spots, in a country like Italy (or most Southern European ones) where the pre-war city has little off-street private parking and narrow sidewalks (or no sidewalks at all).6
6/ Who you think will loose ground in this new fight for scarce street urban space? I have some ideas.
But this is seldom discussed, because "space" is rarely a factor we talk about in political discourse, if not in the marginal niches of urbanism.
But this is seldom discussed, because "space" is rarely a factor we talk about in political discourse, if not in the marginal niches of urbanism.
7/ I blame that, but I might be wrong, on a political discourse dominated by economics, that is good at algebra but bad at geometry, and by technology, narrowly intended as some engineering+IT gadget.
In general, our education relegates spatial disciplines in the margins.
In general, our education relegates spatial disciplines in the margins.
8/ The result is that planners and city designers will be under growing pressure in the coming years to accommodate yet another bulky object into the public realm, parachuted by policymakers with little understanding of space-related constraints.
Brace yourselves, fellow planners
Brace yourselves, fellow planners
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