In this episode, the hosts discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cities and the future of urban spaces. With many office spaces remaining empty due to remote work, there is a need for repurposing these spaces for other uses, such as labs or residential apartments. The hosts explore the evolution of cities over time and how they have adapted to new technologies. They also discuss the rise of remote work and its potential impact on the future of cities. While some believe that remote work will continue to be a significant part of the workforce, others argue that the benefits of in-person collaboration and the agglomeration effects of cities will keep them relevant. The hosts highlight the need for cities to adapt to the changing needs of workers and address issues such as crime and affordable housing to remain attractive to the creative class and knowledge workers. They also discuss positive signs for the future of cities, such as plans to build more housing and efforts to improve safety and public services. However, they emphasize that cities must continue to evolve and address the challenges they face to thrive in the post-pandemic world.

Cities across the world are in the midst of an identity crisis. With fewer workers commuting into offices and more shoppers heading online, what are they now for? It’s a question that commercial real estate investors are scrambling to find an answer to.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Tom Lee-Devlin, Mike Bird and Alice Fulwood explore an office block that’s been repurposed to find out what the future holds for cities. Nick Bloom, a professor of economics at Stanford who’s been researching home working for more than two decades, tells them fully remote work can dent productivity by 10%. And Ed Glaeser, chair of the economics department at Harvard and one of the world’s leading experts on urban economics, says that troubled cities like San Francisco need to focus on making their downtown areas safe.

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