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The sidewalk ballet in the age of social distancing: interactive geospatial mapping to study NYC’s pandemic urbanism

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  • Sharon Yavo-Ayalon
  • Cheng Gong
  • Harrison Yu
  • Ilan Mandel
  • Wendy Ju

Abstract

This article explores and characterizes the pandemic urbanism of NYC during the first year of COVID-19. It analyzes changes to the sidewalk and the urban lifestyle using a novel method of remote ethnography: the integrated use of Zoom video conferencing and GPS smartphone tracking to interview participants as they walked and filmed the city. The dataset, composed of transcripts, videos, and routes, was analyzed to reveal recurring themes and visualized through individual Scrollytelling maps combined into one Supermap. The findings are broken down into: 1) changes to the sidewalk, including fewer people, more outdoor sports activity, signs of social distancing, signs of closure, more bikes, and construction; and 2) lifestyle changes, including longings for the urban lifestyle, new-formed solidarity, a renewed appreciation for the local neighborhood, an undercurrent of “moving out” of the city or “moving up” to a better neighborhood, and a difference between Manhattan and the boroughs.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharon Yavo-Ayalon & Cheng Gong & Harrison Yu & Ilan Mandel & Wendy Ju, 2025. "The sidewalk ballet in the age of social distancing: interactive geospatial mapping to study NYC’s pandemic urbanism," Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 52-74, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rjouxx:v:18:y:2025:i:1:p:52-74
    DOI: 10.1080/17549175.2022.2111591
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