The COVID-19 Crisis and the Digitalisation Trend in Public Space

Abstract

We have witnessed and continue to have unprecedented restrictions on urban public space worldwide after the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 crisis. In this process, digital technologies have become increasingly visible in public spaces. In this context, the research focused on the digitalization trend created by COVID-19 in the public space. The news published in the international media on the digital transformation of the public space was compiled, and the integrative systematic approach was used as a research pattern. Related news was analyzed by thematic content analysis after the stages of reviewing, searching, and passing evidence, determining the quality of the evidence and the relevance to the research subject. The research findings confirm the assumption of the digitalization trend in public space. The areas where digitalization is most visible are governance, communication and transportation, and urban tourism. Research findings show that digital technologies have the potential to be a transformative force in the planning and design of cities and public spaces during and after the COVID-19 process. This digitalization trend also confirms the necessity of reviewing the smart cities approach.

Keywords

• City
• Public Space
• Digitalisation
• Digitalisation of Space
• COVID-19

COVID-19 KRİZİ VE KAMUSAL MEKÂNDA DİJİTALLEŞME EĞİLİMLERİ

Abstract

COVID-19 krizi boyunca uygulanan kısıtlamalar sonrası dünya genelinde kentsel kamusal mekân kullanımında benzeri görülmemiş kısıtlamalara tanık olunmuştur. Bu süreçte dijital teknolojiler kamusal mekânlarda da giderek daha görünür hale gelmiştir. Bu bağlamda araştırmada COVID-19’un kamusal mekân üzerinde yarattığı dijitalleşme eğilimine odaklanılmıştır. Kamusal mekânın dijital dönüşümüne ilişkin uluslararası medyada çıkan haberler derlenmiş ve araştırma deseni olarak bütünleştirici sistematik yaklaşımdan faydalanılmıştır. İlgili haberler gözden geçirme, kanıt arama ve geçme, kanıtların niteliği ve araştırma konusu ile ilginin belirlenmesi aşamalarından sonra tematik içerik analizi ile çözümlenmiştir. Araştırma bulguları kamusal mekândaki dijitalleşme eğilimi varsayımını doğrulamaktadır. Dijitalleşmenin en görünür olduğu alanlar ise yönetişim, iletişim ve ulaşım ve kent turizmidir. Araştırma bulguları dijital teknolojilerin COVID-19 süreci ve sonrasında kentlerin ve kamusal mekânların planlama ve tasarımında dönüştürücü bir güç olma potansiyeli taşıdığını göstermektedir. Bu dijitalleşme eğilimi aynı zamanda akıllı kentler yaklaşımının da yeniden gözden geçirilmesi gerekliliğini doğrulamaktadır.

Keywords

• Kent
• Kamusal Mekân
• Dijitalleşme
• Mekânın Dijitalleşmesi
• COVID-19

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