PANDEMIC INSPIRED DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Covid-19 has changed the way people perceive ‘normal’, how spaces are used, and everyday routines, among other things. The pandemic has also changed the way architects see the world. Experiments are underway in the architectural field by looking for a solution to minimise the spread of Covid-19 and implement the new guidelines.

These pandemic inspired design principles are based on the stipulated guidelines and personal observation on how spaces have changed and how people started to adapt during the pandemic.

These design principles are intended to improve resilience and to protect against the spread of the pandemic. People have no other choice but to adapt. However, some guidelines take time to become second nature. By implementing the ‘new’ to become normal, the guidelines can become a habit.

Ventilation

Good ventilation is considered a priority guideline to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Natural ventilation has the capability to supply high air-change levels at a low cost. It also allows ventilation without being dependent on electricity.

The following design techniques need to be taken into consideration to promote good ventilation (Linquip team, 2020):

- External components - Window types - Building appearance and dimensions - Ridge vents - Building orientation and position - Air inlets and outlets

There are two types of natural ventilation methods (Linquip team, 2020):

• Cross-ventilation, also known as wind-based ventilation, depends on high and low pressure to force air flow. This is achieved by placing windows at different heights to allow for cross ventilation. • The stack effect, also known as buoyancy-driven ventilation. This method works like a fireplace where warm air rises and cold air remains low. This method builds on this notion by ventilating at the highest point and cool air is drawn in at the bottom.

Proper ventilation is also an aspect of a healthy building and one element of Covid-19 prevention in buildings. Proper ventilation is stated in the SANS 10400 part O regulation for dormitory bedrooms and a study area as two air changes per hour and 7.5 L/s per person (SANS, 2011).

Air cleaning & Disinfection

Figure 58: Natural and mechanical ventilation

Social Distancing

Society has become familiar with the practice of social distancing, whether standing in line or sitting in public spaces. A regulatory distance of 1, 5 metres was implemented in our daily lives. This is also a guideline in the prevention strategy against the spread of Covid-19.

From social distancing stickers to creative spatial design is an idea that can be achieved by the following:

• Furniture: • Public spaces:

Walls built to enclose plant beddings are used as seating. Social distancing on these seating walls can be implemented with the use of plants.

Social distancing is a guideline that is not always easy to implement. However, it can become second nature with correct spatial design.

By placing fixed furniture 1, 5 metres apart ensures social distancing in public spaces. Moveable furniture generally creates a situation where people ignore the appropriate layout. Using single seating also removes the seat-sharing problem.

• Standing in line:

External social distancing can be achieved by placing stepping stones in external areas at the desired one-meter intervals. Internal social distancing can be achieved by implementing tactile flooring, which is also used at road crossings and on railway platforms, to indicate when to stop.

Figure 59: 1,5m Social distancing diameters

Infrustructure and Materials

A new concept now seen in buildings is an isolation room for use by anyone feeling unwell. The person must isolate themselves to prevent spreading Covid-19. These isolation rooms also allow for testing by an on-site nurse.

If the isolation room is implemented in student residences, the room could also be used to monitor people infected with the virus, as the room will be equipped with an oxygen tank for use when struggling to breathe. As people isolated at home, it is only necessary to go to the hospital if the individual’s oxygen level drops below 90, indicating they need oxygen.

According to Krstic (2020), the Covid-19 virus has a different lifespan on different materials: • Paper 3 hours • Copper 4 hours • Cardboard 24 hours • Money, Glass, Wood 4 days • Plastic, metals 3-7 days • Cloth 14 days

As Covid-19 has a long lifespan on materials, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces is a top priority to stop the spread of the virus. Material selection is important to minimise the lifespan of Covid-19 on surfaces, and studies are underway for solutions to aid in cleaner surfaces and product materials. Anti-bacterial fabrics include bamboo viscose fabrics and wool, which can be applied on the surfaces of readymade textiles during the manufacturing process (Tyagi, 2020).

Anti-bacterial surfaces include: •Kitchen countertops - engineered quartz •Cabinets and furniture – antimicrobial laminates •Kitchen fixtures, door-knobs, handles – copper •Walls and flooring – antimicrobial ceramics and porcelain •Antifungal agents – bamboo and cork •Wall paint – antimicrobial additives are available.

Figure 60: Isolation room and necessary oxygen tank

Circulation

The ideal circulation route will comply with the 1, 5 metre social distancing guideline, increasing the width of circulation routes immensely. The guidance provided in Figure 61 should be applied to ramps, staircases, and walkways.

However, this ideal notion does not apply to existing structures. On an ordinary staircase, a rubber strip can be implemented down the middle without being a trip hazard to separate people going up and people going down (see Figure 63). This will also guide people to walk behind one another rather than next to one another. Ventilation on staircases should also be implemented to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

With external walkways, one of two widths can be applied. Firstly, people tend to walk behind one another on a one-meter wide walkway, implementing social distancing. Secondly, people pass by or walk next to each other if the width is two meters wide, thus requiring a barrier in the middle to guide the one meter external social-distancing compliance.

Figure 61: Ideal circulation width

Figure 62: Existing circulation width

Figure 63: Possible solution for existing circulation

Hands-free Technology

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, people relied on their feet, elbows, and arms. When sanitising, people step on the designed foot pedal to apply sanitiser and when pushing to open doors, they tend to use their arms or elbows. This indicates the need for hands-free technology.

• Hand wash basins:

Basins have been designed with taps as foot-pedals, which means that hand wash basins are used hands-free. However, sensor taps can be unreliable because of the regular power outages in South Africa. Soap dispensers and sanitiser were developed with footoperated stands and can be implemented at entrances and in bathrooms.

• Doors:

Automated doors were common before the pandemic; however, the system is not always practical. A new solution was designed for office and bathroom doors, where only an arm or foot is required to open the door.

• Locks:

Card readers are a way of implementing a keyless environment; other ways include foot-operated locks on doors. Not everything can be hands-free. Although many solutions are available for bathrooms and doors, kitchens are a place that cannot be hands-free. As many appliances rely on the use of hands, regular cleaning and disinfecting should be implemented.

Hands-free technology is developing every day, especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and thus touching infected surfaces can be minimised.

Figure 64: Hands-free systems

Thresholds

Thresholds are experienced differently post-pandemic, as thresholds have transformed into cleaning thresholds. As per guidelines, every entrance into a building must have a sanitation station, and some buildings have signing sheets and a thermometer.

This guideline is transforming how people enter buildings. Thresholds must allow for social distancing when sanitising. In buildings with high foot traffic, more sanitation stations must be implemented to avoid people gathering or people walking past the sanitation waiting line.

Also, the inclusion of hand wash basins in thresholds can be implemented. For example, hand wash basins were implemented in Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, where the boundary of public and private was challenged (Philcox, 2020).

As the pandemic encouraged people to stay in their private realm, thresholds connect both the private and public realms and must meet sanitation requirements to minimise the spread of Covid-19.

Figure 65: Internal cleaning threshold

Figure 66: External cleaning threshold

WAVE 04

CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT

PRECEDENT STUDY DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Precedent studies were done to inform the conceptual development of the proposed site. The conceptual development is based on the theoretical approach and the pandemic inspired design principles.