Chapter One: Open Air Nightlife and COVID-19
Managing Outdoor Space and Sound
In response to the severe and increasing vulnerability of global nighttime economies and cultures caused by COVID-19, a global collaboration of some of the foremost minds on nightlife governance and urban planning, spearheaded by nightlife advocacy agency, VibeLab, has created the Global Nighttime Recovery Plan (GNRP).
Pent-up demand for social activity combined with the continued restrictions on use of indoor areas has led to a sudden increase in demand for outdoor space.
GNRP’s first chapter, responds to this demand, exploring the management of outdoor space and sound to create open-air nightlife that is both safe and feasible in the context of the global pandemic.
“In this unprecedented situation, cities can choose to fall back on tactics of policing, control, and ‘business-as-usual’. Or they can rise to the occasion with small-scale experiments and creative tactical urbanism… willingness to work together, experiment, and rethink uses of open spaces will be essential for the months and years ahead.”
—Diana Raiselis, Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation/Vibelab
The GNRP is written to provide all members of the night-time ecosystem the tools and inspiration to aid their cities in planning and executing responsible re-opening.
Chapter 1: MANAGING OPEN AIR NIGHTLIFE
What can you do next?
The GNRP is intended as a launch point: industry stakeholders, urban planners, academics and nightlife participants alike are encouraged to engage in this solutions-oriented, global discussion, then take action within their own communities.
We also invite local governments and nightlife stakeholders to…
- Analyse local opportunities and challenges in adopting best practices via 1:1 consulting sessions.
- Develop an action plan unique to your city.
Reach out to hello@vibe-lab.org
The global collaboration behind GNRP: Chapter one
“Thinkers in the world of urban design, micro-mobility, and landscape architecture have created a vibrant variety of ideas for open streets, parks, and plazas that have informed the ad-hoc street experiments of 2020. The experience can now be analysed, tailored, community-resourced and put into practice in the new and better cities of tomorrow.”
—Michael Fichman, PennPraxis/University of Pennsylvania and Andreina Seijas, Harvard University
GNRP’s first chapter is led by Mark Adam Harold (Vilnius Night Alliance), with content contribution from Thierry Charlois (Paris Municipality), Dominique Greco (City of Orlando), Steffen Lepa (Technische Universität Berlin), Jose Soegaard (NYC Office of Nightlife) and Karolis Zukauskas (Vilnius City Municipality).
GNRP’s editing and coordinating team includes Michael Fichman (PennPraxis/University of Pennsylvania), Richard Foster (Worm, Rotterdam) Lutz Leichsenring (Vibelab), Mirik Milan (Vibelab), Diana Raiselis (Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation), Andreina Seijas (Harvard University) and Jia Yuan (PennPraxis/University of Pennsylvania).
