The new normal is affecting our habits as well as our surroundings. It’s now time to redesign cities so that social distancing and public spaces are compatible. It’s time for the fields of architecture, design, and landscaping to shine.
We have already shown you a few ideas for new types of spaces in the wake of COVID. Now we are going one step further. Here are some examples of what cities all over the world have done to convert public spaces into shields that protect us from the coronavirus.
Get lost in a labyrinth
Parks are key to the new city concept, but they are also places that require some kind of intervention. Vienna is already on it. Precht Studios has come up with Parc de la Distance. Why not get lost in a hedge maze in the shape of a human fingerprint? It offers various routes with entrances that tell you if there are other visitors on the same path. The idea lets you walk around the park by yourself.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_DIvx_J7gz/
The new hospitality industry
An outdoor terrace, a culinary tour, a restaurant…these are quintessential places for socialising. How can we continue to enjoy them and feel safe at the same time?
The Czech city of Brno has put the Gastro Safe Zone in place, an idea from HUA HUA Arquitects. The studio has designed safe grids, each part of which includes a single unit made up of 3 chairs and a round table. The unit is moveable and made from materials that can be easily disinfected.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xVli_HVTm/
In Amsterdam, the big idea is on the banks of the river. The restaurant at the Art Center Mediamatic has taken a chance on an idea that is as safe as is it is creative: outdoor dining areas with greenhouses.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAu4JKAnVUd/
And if you’re looking for a good gourmet food market, Dutch studio Shift Architecture Urbanism has come up with a model that allows you to buy fresh products and enjoy street food without any person-to-person contact. Distribution, maximum capacity, different routes – everything has been strategically planned.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-mU0XVJteH/
How can we move through town squares?
Now that lockdown is over, town squares have come back to life, but it’s not always easy to move through them. That’s why the architects at Caret Studio have created the StoDistante installation in Vicchio. It’s a network made up of different modules that guide people through the square while ensuring social distancing is maintained.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAbHiu8Hh19/
Safe sport
There are also some creative ideas for lovers of sport. In Toronto, they’ve come up with the idea of practising yoga outside in transparent domes created by Lmnt Outdoor Studio.
