News / Insights

The pandemic has accelerated a profound shift in the world of work, making remote work a structural component of many professions and triggering a radical transformation in the relationship between urban space, economic activities, and daily life. This shift has had an uneven impact across sectors and population groups, with significant effects on productivity, equity, and well-being.

The ISPI report explores these dynamics, highlighting how the model of a polycentric, resilient, and digital city represents a promising yet complex response, balancing opportunities for urban regeneration with new inequalities linked to digitalization and access to services.

The large-scale adoption of hybrid work has transformed the demand for mobility and space, leading to greater appeal for suburban areas and mixed-use neighborhoods. Phenomena such as the “donut effect”—the tendency to move from the center toward the periphery—are shifting the urban balance and raising questions about cities’ ability to provide adequate services in these new centers of attraction. The repurposing of offices as a response to the housing crisis, the increased demand for green and multifunctional spaces, and the reorganization of public transportation are signs of an ongoing transition that requires strategic vision and targeted investments. The report also focuses on the environmental and social implications of hybrid work, the growing impact of digitalization on healthcare, and transformations in consumption patterns and the real estate market. In particular, Italy emerges as a prime example of the challenges related to connectivity, quality of life, and urban resilience. The repurposing of underutilized spaces, the promotion of digital accessibility, and the strengthening of local services are identified as strategic levers for addressing the challenges posed by the new work paradigm and building more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable cities.