A As Architecture wants to investigate the possible relationships between architecture and pandemics, how these will change our lifestyle, how they will affect architecture, urban planning and design.
Times Square after outbreak of the COVID-19 disease Photo: Reuters
In a moment like the one we are living, when almost the whole world must protect itself from an invisible enemy and peole are forced to remain at home to escape contamination, we must reflect on how much all this will change our habits, our activities, and therefore by means of what implications our home and public space will be re defined.
Position paper
Never as today we feel isolated in a global system, where most of the people throughout the world are locked in their houses. Never as today we we feel uncertain about our future, both short and long term. Never as today we have to reconsider macro and micro systems, but first of all investigate the connections among them. Some scientists, for example relate the most polluted areas with the bigger spread of Covid19 and, if we compare the maps, the analogy is very clear.
World maps – COVID 19 and pollution
It is utopian not to think that architecture will not chance as a consequence. We will have to reconsider aspects that were part of our common practice as designers. Among these, sustainability, that we should rethink, or implement in favour of a resilient architecture. For this reason we want to try to think togheter, and gather as many thinkings as possible on this new scenerio.
Laboratory of ideas
We want to create this laboratory of ideas in order to collect everyone’s contribution on personal experiences, projects and suggestions about this topic. We want to involve internationally renowned architects and designers, experts in collateral sectors, but even companies that develop technologies useful to our goal, and that can give answers for today and the future.
Solutions
For example the Bompas & Parr company is launching a contest inviting creatives, designers, makers and architects to design inspired takes on the sanitiser pumps now on counters across the globe. The results will be displayed at the Design Museum auctioned by Christies for charity. We all are called to give our contribution.
Think togheter
We are looking for simple solutions that can be achieved in the short term to compensate for the most frequent difficulties. At present the only places allowed to the people are supermarkets and pharmacies with long queues and lots of elderly people standing for hours, waiting for their turn.
Solutions 
Queues at supermarkets
We could use Ticket Queue systems, with apps that inform you, while waiting at home, about your turn. Same devices we have planned for other public locations, such as post offices, banks and others. We could also design new paths inside of them, that could easy mobility and shopping and guarantee a correct distance between buyers.
Re-think spaces
Today, many of us already work at home or by video conference with other colleagues of the same firm, as many people do in other areas of work. An increase in smart working will surely cause the organization af an area to work from home.
Smart Working
This will cause a reduction of business spaces and mobility, but even social implications such as a reduction of direct contacts among colleagues . With more people staying at home, new ways of socialization will be implemented: friends connected on Skype for a video-dinner, video aperitif, or other moments.
Contact
So many ideas, sometimes confused or difficult to implement, and perhaps if we can put them together we could find some simple solutions available for everyone. Through the email covidsolution@gmail.com you can send us your contributions and the most interesting will be published on aasarchitecture.com. In addition, we have created a forum on our Facebook page to discuss together.