Feature... Design in Pandemic Times
It is common to refer to a perceptive person with clarity of purpose as having twenty-twenty vision, yet at the midway mark of the year 2020 our vision has never been more obscured.
Words by Adrienne Erickson.
Adrienne is the Swayn Senior Fellow in Australian Design at the National Museum of Australia.
At the start of the year, we had barely drawn breath after bushfires across the east coast of Australia destroyed communities and flora and fauna, when a novel coronavirus COVID19 imperilled us all, and changed the way we live, work and communicate irrevocably. The virus has spread around the globe in a blink of an eye, creating chaos and confusion in its wake. Socially oriented as humans are, we are now ordered to socially distance ourselves for our own safety. We are not just locked out of travelling to other countries, many are in lockdown inside their own homes.
The challenges thrown at us by COVID19 are epic and indiscriminate, targeting our most vulnerable and capitalising on systems and structures that only a year ago seemed best practice and good design, like public transport. The first line of defence against the virus has been the medical profession, from carers in aged persons home, to the extraordinary work and sacrifice of nurses, doctors and medical professionals. Their exemplary actions have highlighted the critical importance of facing this pandemic with resilience, innovation and effective design solutions to help manage the spread of the virus and the care of those infected. Design communities in Australia and globally need to demonstrate the same resilient and innovative push towards facing these challenges and creating a more sustainable and equitable future than we faced before.
Even in the gloom and despair of the circumstances facing many, there have been glimmers of light and tales of the unexpected, demonstrating the innate ingenuity of people and the human desire to adapt and make the most of difficult circumstances. People across Australia have taken the opportunity during the pandemic to continue to contribute to building resilient and liveable communities. Small empathetic actions such as messages chalked on footpaths with #chalkmywalk, and teddy bears in windows for children ‘Going on a Bear Hunt’ have brought smiles and boosted morale, while industry where possible have pivoted to producing hand sanitiser and personal protection equipment to ensure sufficient supply. Creative skill has been put to good use in Melbourne, ever determined to stake claim to the ‘fashion capital of Australia’ with fun and elaborate hand-made masks lifting spirits and encouraging use.
Catastrophic events change the course of our lives, and it’s a new path that needs great design thinking to chart the course. Current social distancing requires us to rethink almost all human activities, and to start to think of solutions and ideas that go beyond taping crosses on every second or third seat in a football stadium or public bus. Scientists globally have not yet found the way to defeat this virus, but they will not give up until answers are found. In the same way, designers need to rethink how can we live distanced yet together, and find solutions to create safe environments, at home and at work.
Catastrophic events change the course of our lives, and it’s a new path that needs great design thinking to chart the course. Current social distancing requires us to rethink almost all human activities, and to start to think of solutions and ideas that go beyond taping crosses on every second or third seat in a football stadium or public bus.
Travel restrictions have quickly resulted in the ‘boom of zoom’, online meetings on different platforms that while not perfect have been accessible and affordable for all. The Sydney to Melbourne flight path only recently was one of the busiest in the world, yet when restrictions are lifted many frequent flyers may prefer the ease of jumping online rather onto a plane. Public transport that for so long has been encouraged as more environmentally sound than private cars, now display taped crosses on every second seat like it is the wrong answer, while online retailer Bicycles Online reported a whopping 210 percent increase in commuter bike sales across Australia. Strategy consultants McKinsey and Company report offline and online retail sales of fashion have slumped globally, but as this is one of the most environmentally polluting industries globally it presents new opportunities for fashion designers to use sustainably sourced materials and local production in order to succeed. Many established fashion brands may disappear during the pandemic, but it’s often the same designers who swiftly pivot and reinvent their ideas to meet the demands of the market. It’s hard to remember life before coronavirus but thinking back to the call for action on climate change at the start of this year, one glimmer of hope is the International Energy Agency estimates that by the end of 2020, global emissions will decline by about 8 percent compared to last year. It’s a stark reminder that while we are fighting to survive the coronavirus, we need to ensure we have a healthy planet to live on.
In architecture, designing for diversity of function in the home and the workplace has never seemed more important or relevant. The architects’ skill in creating innovative outcomes incorporating energy efficiency and spaces that are both functional and harmonious is only utilised in less than 10%, possibly less, in new housing in Australia, as estimated by Architecture Australia archives. When working from home, every design flaw becomes apparent, and every need becomes urgent. Some parts of Australia can boast the largest footprint in the world, but a well-designed multi-functional energy-efficient sustainable and secure house or apartment is surely the aspirational home of the future. I’m referring of course to those in our society who have a roof over their heads, and the urgent issue of affordable housing for all is now more urgent than ever.
Social distancing in the workplace and working from home will likely generate the biggest impact and change to architecture in Australia. ‘Hotdesking’ in offices now seems ‘very 2019’, but open plan offices and companies structured into teams are quickly developing removable desk pads and other safe and effective ways to support collaboration and teamwork. Australian furniture company Koskella have acted quickly to develop aesthetically pleasing ‘socially distancing carpet bubbles’ to replace tape on office floors, while ‘adhoc’ standing computer desks fashioned from ironing boards and books are inspiring designers to conceive clever multi-functional furniture solutions for the home. Australian furniture company Koskella have acted quickly to develop aesthetically pleasing ‘socially distancing carpet bubbles’ to replace tape on office floors, while ‘adhoc’ standing computer desks fashioned from ironing boards and books are inspiring designers to conceive clever multi-functional furniture solutions for the home.
Online shops at the Australian Design Centre and the National Museum report strong sales of beautifully designed homewares, as money previously spent on travel and holidays is now used to improve home environments. I tread very carefully into mentioning home-schooling, as I sigh with relief that my offspring are young adults, but this may also inspire interior design in homes that can create pods or separate areas to meet the needs of families potentially in lockdown.
The road ahead in 2020 is still obscured by many unseen obstacles, coronavirus the greatest unseen enemy of all. All the twists and turns and problems a pandemic raises without immediate solutions are mapped out by the oscillating lines of graphs and charts in the media showing the instability of our lives. Waiting for eradication of the virus, or a vaccine that would return our lives to normal seems less and less likely, and potentially allowing the opportunity to design new futures that are more equitable and sustainable pass us by. Small actions and ideas quickly crafted by so many across Australia to adapt and face challenges in our midst, gives a great deal of hope for our ability to design a more innovative, sustainable and resilient way of life to help face the unknown challenges ahead.