In 2020 Covid-19 changed the world. I didn’t see this coming. I have watched so many movies with insane pandemic plots and twists but I never thought it would happen in real life. By now everyone knows what Covid-19 is; the news are constantly reporting on it so much so that they can make a 24-hour news channel dedicated to Covid-19 and it still wouldn’t be enough time in the day to report everything. So what does Covid-19 mean to us as designers?
Through my years as a designer I have seen some progress in Sustainable design. In 2010 I wanted to be a part of the sustainable design community and that meant USGBC LEED for me. I studied and tried to learn all I could and became LEED AP ID+C in 2011. Soon after I decided to learn more and joined a pilot program at FIT in their newest MA in Sustainable Interior Environments. The information is so important this needs to be a part of every designer’s education and knowledge. It’s our job to make the built world a better place. Now in 2020 Covid affected so many. What are designers planning to do about it?
I step into a store now and I need to wear a mask, no problem. I see signs to stay 6 feet apart, checkout counters have round stickers to keep distance while in checkout line. Restaurants put up barriers between tables. Capacity percentage is lowered and so is business. In NY restaurants have built temporary outdoor seating areas, and those are taking up parking spots and are not appealing, but what are businesses to do, they need to survive because everyone is struggling. Now there may not be a lot we can do for existing businesses but how can designers improve planning and development of new business?
In many places retail stores have closed their fitting rooms. You can’t try on but you can return items. They are working with clients but how many people ae wasting time purchasing and then returning? Is this pandemic going to move more shopping online? How many brick and mortar stores will close? I always loved spending some time in a shop, walking around and browsing products even if I am ‘window’ shopping. Sometimes letting my mind relax will bring in great ideas to projects and I don’t get that same experience online.
Hospitals have limited visitor time or none at all now. This is just unbelievable, family and friends need to be there for each other when someone is in a hospital for support, company to create a better state of mind for the patients. We’ve seen so much information how pets visiting patients also lifts their mood and outlook, emotional state of mind can affect your physical body. Now people are suffering and dying alone in hospitals, this is wrong. I lost someone near and dear and it is unbelievable that his only child was not able to go and see him. He didn’t disserve that, no one does. What can we do? There is no vaccine yet. The world is waiting.
Covid-19 Design, will that be something new in designer’s obstacle fitting the entire scope of work into a project. Is it going to be a new standard of design similar to ADA, ergonomics, etc.? We have some standard ideas already, distance, partitions and outdoors. Can those be incorporated into spaces in a new way to keep people safe and still allow a business to be profitable?
Just like the movies we watched of the planets doomsday future designers, architects, engineers etc., need to start creating the new design future. We need to re-design how we design. Unfortunately designers can’t do so much without change in DOB regulations and standards. Designers need to push local changes to progress as a whole, old standards and restrictions are holding back new design. Design of the future Covid-19 Design will need though, smart ideas less obstacles and more cooperation.
My wonderful mentor John C. Sweeney, always taught me about Murphy’s Law and every time there was a small hitch up on a project he would remind me ‘Murphy’s Law, everything that can go wrong will’. Design needs to always incorporate Murphy’s Law. Even now while we are all waiting for a vaccine, what happens if it will arrive but not soon enough, what happens if there will be another strain even more potent? We need to plan all future spaces as if the worst thing is yet to come.
In 2012 Hurricane Sandy a.k.a. Superstorm Sandy hit many countries and 24 states. I was living in NY at the time and studying for my masters. The havoc this storm brought was unbelievable. Having experienced this and the aftermath of the people affected was devastating. Now people recovered and the result was a change in new construction of residential properties. Old homes that could be raised were and new built homes are now build higher in order to help prevent future storm damage. This was a common sense simple solution; too bad no one made it sooner, before the storm came that no one knew was possible.
People design based on history, mistakes or experiences. How can we improve our design now in order to prevent future problems? We should be prepared for a disaster before it happens, but how? The interior spaces we occupy should be safe from elements, viruses, and who knows what else. We need to change our design strategy to plan ahead of Murphy’s Law happening. Typical layouts need to change and so do standards. So, where do we start?
…in progress…
brainstormNY 