Üres terek lehetséges adaptációja egyes lakhatási formákban, mint az életminőséget szolgáló új félprivát nyitott terek a szociális távolságtartás idején: esettanulmány budapesti történeti bérházak belső udvarairól

Social distancing measures induced by the Covid-19 epidemic introduced a major change in the nature and whereabouts of many human activities. Most of our daily routine shifted from physical close interactions to non-physical distance ones and from occurring in public and semi-public spaces into our own private spaces. This change affected the well-being of urban dwellers living in high density urban areas, mainly due to the lack of physical social interaction and less exposure to the natural and built environment. This phenomenon changed the way we use and perceive our cities; It increased the use of public open spaces as urban dwellers found a refuge to escape the confinement of their residents. The increase in use of public open spaces has negative effects on the infection rate of Covid-19 as it leads to potentially more interactions between people of different residents. This means residential spaces that house our daily routine, and many social activities should be re-evaluated to be able to fulfill the physical and social needs of the inhabitants in times of social distancing. This paper aims at investigating how the already existing open spaces in residential typologies can change behavior and transform into a semi-private communal space and a sanctuary for the residents in times of confinement. The case of Budapest historical residential buildings courtyards shall be studied to discover their potential to behave as these spaces. The courtyard space emerged as an architectural, urban planning, and regulatory response to residential developments and urban density needs in Budapest and other European cities in the late 19th and early 20th century. These residential developments that shape the urban character of old Budapest can be described as three to five stories, medium height, multi-flats attached buildings with central voids that substitutes internal spaces exposure to natural environment denied by the stitched facades. These spaces would increase the exposure to the natural environment, create opportunities for social interaction within the measures of social distancing, and provide new spatial opportunities to house the new activities that are now taking place in our residents. They can also enhance the sense of place and stimulate social cohesion. The increase of use of semi-private residential spaces can help fight the epidemic by increasing the satisfaction of the urban dweller with their residents and thus decrease the need to go outside and create possible infectious social interactions. These open semi-private spaces hidden behind the facades can behave as an extension to the public realm in times of events that require the dense urban areas to provide more space for inhabitants to successfully implement social distancing and maintain the resilience of urban forms and the well-being of urban dwellers.

szerző

• 
  Haddad Adi
  Tervező-építészmérnök MSc (angol nyelven)
  mesterképzés (MA/MSc)

konzulens

• 
  Dr. Szabó Árpád
  Egyetemi docens, Urbanisztika Tanszék