Proxemics Revisited: The Rule of Thumb in Design

Proxemics Revisited: Social Distance, The Rule of Thumb in Design Design Literacy Forum VIII

Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design, Assumption University

Currently, the urgency of the Covid 19 pandemic is causing a kind of knee-jerk responses in every area especially when government bodies attempt to resume the economy amidst this new founded fear. The so-called social distancing regulations are inevitable prescriptions that interfere with physical, emotional, and social well-being of the people–something that has long been the main objective of architecture and design profession and discipline. Before we allow this pandemic to spin us out of our orbit, we need to take the time to think critically in order to react rationally.

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communication such as pheromones, which regulate normal bodily functions.

Viewed as significant and coherent among architects and designers, the theory became the basis or “rule of thumb” in space planning and design.

Most built environment in the modern time respected this distance especially in public area. Today, when businesses struggle to reopen, many look to designers to come up with practical solutions to battle this situation.

The concept of social distancing is not new. More than 50 years ago, the American anthropologist Edward T. Hall observed how typical Americans use space and proposed the theory: Proxemics. Proxemics explains why people use different distance in their interactions. In his famous book, the Hidden Dimension, Hall pointed to the basic territorial instincts inherited in human as the reason for different distancing. For instance, intimate distancing is 10-12 inches, personal distancing is at least 3 feet, and social distancing is 9 feet (or the famous 2 meter “Social Distancing”).

To explore this notion, Design Literacy Forum VIII invites architecture and design academics to revisit the long standing theory “Proxemics” and submit their creative works that offer a discourse in how “Proxemics” is applied in design in order to find reasonable solution to the Covid 19 new normal that is influencing our way of life.

These distances, however, are not to keep organism apart but instead are means for survival. For example, social distancing is an important tool organism use in spacing and to avoid crowding.

Hall pointed out through his reviews of researches and experiments done by scientists that in social animals, especially mammals, crowding can cause stress and changes in physiology such as enlarged adrenal glands resulting in hyperactivity and aggression. The 2-meter social distance also allows visibility necessary for courtship and endocrine

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6 Lighting boundary

Nuttapol Sakchalathorn

8 New tile paving for footpaths for social distancing Naphat Whaichana

12 New Normal Turn to Normal Wannida Nivartvong

14 An Adaptation Prap Chaiwattana

10 ‘Keep Distance’ sticker Nuttapol Sakchalathorn

16 Food hub for future Covid 19 Dichila Pasanta

18 Absolute Social Spacing Wipawan Laitananont

20 Embrace Social Distancing with the Playful Equipped Set Chananya Apiwatphong

22 Space for ‘US’ a spatial relationship for family distancing Designing a singlefamily house Nataporn Thipayavatna

24 The Green artistic interior elements for rehabilitation project during Covid 19 Orn-laor Homsettee

26 Creating outdoor furniture for public space, to be safe from the coronavirus outbreak Bunjongsak Pimthong

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Urban Lighting Planning

Lighting boundary

Wismar Bahnhof lighting design project is located in Wismar, Germany. Wismar is close to Baltic sea in the north of Germany, 2 hours from Berlin and Hamburg. The area of the Wismar Bahnhof consists of ticket office building, semi-outdoor platform, car park with bicycle parking, and a public park. In 2015, the city council announced the plan to renovate the Wismar Bahnhof and the areas close to the train station, including the roads within 1 km radius to improve the quality of life and for safety.

Nuttapol Sakchalathorn

Department of Interior Architecture, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design

The design concept is to create the boundary of the train station area and separating areas for people and vehicles by using different color temperature. For instance, pedestrian and the court in front of the train station uses warm white (3000k) and street lighting uses neutral white (4000k). The design defines zoning into high or low traffic, allowing for easy monitoring of the capability of the area. For pedestrian or street lighting, the area’s boundary is created based on DIN standard, Deutsches Institut für Normung, the German Institute for the lighting Standardization, by using the Dialux, computer program to calculate the distance of the luminaire in pedestrian and street lighting, which helps people know the distance between lighting fixture for The image shows safety and visualization. Another the lighting calculation factor that can create the boundary on the pedestrian and street. | Photo: Nuttaby lighting design is light distribution pol Sakchalathron (beam angle). The angle of the light beam creates a shape of luminance which people can see the bright and dark area from the lighting fixtures. The intensity of the luminance can show the boundary around the lighting fixture how far they can illuminate. Lighting application and arrangement of the luminaire is used as an element to create the boundary or area for people who use the pedestrian. For example, walkway and bicycle lane are divided by light distribution of the bollard or street pole luminaire.

Light, generally used for visualization, allows people to see during nighttime or in the darkness. Lighting design however, can also be for other purposes, such as for the safety of the pedestrian, entertainment in concerts, or interactive arts to engage with people. Nowadays, people around the world face COVID-19 pandemic and therefore must search for ways to create social distancing to limit and prevent the spreading of the virus in order to protect themselves. Before COVID-19 pandemic, lighting design has been used to create visual boundaries to define space, besides architectural elements, which results in open planning in exterior The image shows or interior spaces. Therefore, lighting different types of luminaires creating design can be one of the solutions different boundary to create social distancing in public area. | Photo: Nuttapol Sakchalathron spaces. People can visualize and define the boundary of space through lighting design elements used to create common language and guide user’s perception.

As a result, the lighting design helps create social distancing. People can notice the luminance from the lighting fixtures and walk far from each other at a proper distance. The intensity and distribution of lighting creates the visual boundary allowing people to follow the distance between bright and dark for social distancing in COVID-19 pandemic.

Rendering lighting plan for Wismar Bahnhof project | Photo: Nuttapol Sakchalathron

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Design

New tile paving for footpaths for social distancing

of at least one meter from the nearest person, has been effective in slowing down the spread of COVID-19.

Even though people must make one-meter invisible bubble in public, related to the theory “Proxemics”, one meter can be a good personal distance for interactions among good friends or family (Far phase – 76 to 122 cm.). Developing nuanced solutions to a variety of public space is critical while keeping people safe. In reality, not everyone can measure one meter by eyes in public. It will be good if all footpath in big cities hit by coronavirus can be redesigned to include one meter measurement for social distancing.

Footpaths should provide comfort, continuity, and safety for walking. From the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), the clear width must be at least 1.8 m to accommodate two wheelchair users at the same time and must not have any obstructions. Braille Block should be laid along the length of the footpath to help persons with visual impairment.

Naphat Whaichana

Department of Interior Design, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design

Terracotta paver blocks 20 cm. x 20 cm. in size in two visibly different colors is created to propose new footpath design for staying in the new normal in public. It can be laid in straight stack bond pattern or running bond pattern as pictures below to make spots on footpaths for safe distancing. Terracotta brick pavers are not only durable, slip resistant, and environmentally friendly, but they can also maintain their color permanently throughout the product. Bright color is also a good choice to apply on the spotted blocks for people with color vision deficiency. Moreover, these new pattern pathways can create a social distancing symbol in public.

The situation of Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) makes social isolation the best results to fight the pandemic and changes behaviors for all people. According to The World Health Organization (WHO), the virus can spread from infected people when they cough, sneeze, talk, sing, or even breathe heavily.

New pattern It is easy to catch the virus when it on footpath gets into humans’ mouth, nose, or eyes, which is usually happen when people are in direct or close contact with an infected person. Thus, social distancing, which refers to maintaining physical space

Paving layout plan (20 x 20 cm. Tiles)

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Design

‘Keep Distance’ sticker Nuttapol Sakchalathorn

Department of Interior Architecture, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design

COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact – the distance within 6 feet (or 180 centimeters), as indicated by the recent studies.

Social distancing or physical distancing means keeping a safe distance between yourself and other people in both indoor and outdoor areas. As distancing is the only way to avoid virus transmission from infected people, it is important to stay at least 6 feet away from the others when possible.

Nowadays, temperature check is another way to screen suspected COVID-19 patients. People are given a small sticker as a sign to show that they have passed through the temperature check before entering most places.

This project designs the sticker to be used not only as a sign of passing temperature check but also a tool to crate the awareness of the right distance by showing a printed sentence ‘IF YOU CAN READ THIS, YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO ME’ on the sticker. From the research, the 2.5 mm. letter size can be read in the distance less than 180 centimeters. This project therefore designs these wording at the size of 2.5 mm. respectively and it can be printed on stickers or silk-screened on clothes to make people aware of the necessary distance when they are in public area.

It is hoped that the design will help limit the possibilities for people to come in close contact with infected people outside their homes and further delay the spread of the virus.

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Design

New Normal Turn to Normal

Built-in Closet with multi-function

Wannida Nivartvong

Department of Product Design, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design

“New Normal, Social Distancing and Work from Home” no one has ever thought that these three phrases will become part of new lifestyle in this period. One of the biggest impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on human behavior is the way people perform or do their jobs. In the design field, social distancing might not be a big problem because designers have used the advantage of computer programs and technologies for a while, but people still need to socialize in the work place.

COVID-19 pandemic situation compelled the way this project was done by automatically using social distancing protocol. The first task is the design part, the owner of this project is a petite-size woman therefore the ergonomic design needs to be focused. The most challenging design part is the compact space that every centimeter is counted in this project. The built-in furniture in the bedroom and living room are the main issue compared to the requirements and functions. The closet in the bedroom has a limitation of length and width but needs many functions inside the closet itself. The requirements are not only to store the cloth but also need extra functions as follows:

1. a full mirror that is able to hide when not in use 2. a small safe cabinet that hides inside the drawer 3. the space for all kinds of cloth of which some are hanged and some are folded 4. Shelves for hanging bags, accessories and uncommon used staffs.

For the living area, the entrance requires shoes storage on one side and the bookshelf on the other side which is the location of reading and relaxing area. The opposite side is the multi-function built-in furniture combined with bookshelf, entertainment area, working table, Buddha shelf, and storages. The second task involves with social distancing and communication aspects which show how to make social distancing effectively. Luckily, the modern technologies, applications, design programs, and social media have become handy tools to help everyone communicate and solve problem a small safe efficiently, both verbally and visually cabinet that hides inside the drawer throughout the pandemic.

As designers during this period, we have the ability to adjust ourselves to all circumstances. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way designers modify themselves once again with “New Normal” and finally it would become the ordinary lifestyle.

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Design

An Adaptation Prap Chaiwattana

Department of Interior Architecture, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design

A representation for a workshop area and a live broadcasting area

In a difficult time during COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing has become a major concern. As many businesses have adapted to the situation, Lolane is another example of a company that values ​​this issue and has adapted to the situation. Lolane is a company, which is an expert in producing a complete range of hair products to meet the needs of consumers according to hair fashion trends for more than 30 years. Adapting to the new normal, communication technology can greatly promote business whether it is in advertising to promote products or giving advice about beauty and innovations to target customers via online live broadcasting. For the live broadcasting, the company has to set up a location that is ready and suitable for broadcasting, and must take into account to the social distancing while working as well.

Starting by studying the functional space according to the needs of the owner by determining the standard dimension and distance of the usage area in each function and designing each area by using elements in the floor, walls, ceilings as a boundary, along with the use of materials and lighting to limit the area. In the inter-functional areas, vertical planes are fabric curtains which are soft and easy to adapt and adjust the areas in each section together. Therefore, the choice of background materials color is to create clear difference between the object and the background for quality in the video by choose a bright tone color to contrast with the hair color. And in the sections that connect to the seminar area, large sliding doors have been used to allow full opening and closing of the space to create a connection between the area.

A renovation for beauty salon workAn adjustable fabric curtain can shop area is located on the 3rd make a privacy floor in Lolane head office building, between a different functional area.

Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand. The approximate area is 45 square meters.

The existing area of the new workshop is next to the large multi-purpose seminar area which is required to connect or separate from the workshop area depending on the different events.

An adaptation for a design work on this project, space improvements have to meet a wide range of needs in different terms of use depending on the situation. The flexibility of the space is important in the designing of this project. As people and businesses are now facing a difficult situation, this project may be a starting point or a good example of turning a crisis into an opportunity to get through this situation.

A furniture layout of the salon workshop renovation area.

In the design of the workshop area, the owner of the project emphasized that the consideration of utility in each functional area has to be separated and distanced into a clear proportion. The lighting in each working area must be sufficient and clear for each type of operation and also has to adapt to the different functions. Especially in the area for the live broadcasting, space composition has to be taken into account in order to achieve the best quality of a live broadcast.

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Design

Food hub for future Covid 19

The restaurant owner will pay for a rental eating space instead of having to pay extra cost to set up new ones.

The area then become more like a food court without kitchens but with only seating area. Co-Eating Space will be set up in the Food Hub area, where many restaurants can share the eating space.

2. After setting up Co-Eating Space, zoning is the next step.

Each zone can be divided according to types of food and types of people. To reduce physical contacts during pandemic, online application platform can used. Seat booked with food will be confirmed after using online ordering apps.

The owner can be sure that all seating will be set up at Food Hub. Last thing to do is to deliver all food from cloud kitchen on time.

Dichila Pasanta

Department of Interior Architecture, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design After COVID 19 pandemic forced changes for all businesses, one of the largest business impacts is all types of restaurants. As owners needed to reduce high-risk activities, operations and services have to change significantly.

During this uncertain time, restaurant owners need to think how to convince consumers to comfortably come to the restaurant again. This project objectives derived from our clients, restaurant owners who are seeing their operations quickly shifting gear to delivery food service. At the same time, they have to figure out the best solution, if delivery food service is not enough to completely heal their business, alternative service options need to be quickly developed.

Co-Eating Space development Eating behavior, and number of seating will be organized as zonings below Rush hour zone – Grilled pork with sticky rice is the best for early morning hour, when seating is not necessary for street food.

Solo Zone – If you are single, this area is perfect, but if not, private area is available for someone who comes alone.

After interviews and surveys, food hub solution project is a mimetic setting for foreseeable to help our clients run their business in the interim period. When work from home ends, as people need to go back to work at the office, social distancing might not be efficiently concerned. So the questions are: How can restaurant operation reduce capacity and stay in business? How many restaurants can set up outdoor or patio dining? How can people trust that this is protective enough? Many offices have set up new spaces for food delivery for lunch but not all offices are capable of doing so.

The future direction for food hub solution will be set as 2 key steps 1. Fewer seating and limited density in the restaurant will become the new norm. As a result, kitchen is removed and replaced by cloud kitchen. The seating can take over kitchen, which is counted as 30% of the total area. The new normal restaurants are now without a kitchen but they can still deliver the food from a nearby cloud kitchen. One cloud kitchen can serve at least 3 branches. This can work better as renting more space is not an option if the owner wants to efficiently operate the existing one.

Eating zone would be reorganise, according to the new distancing, and can be developed into Co-Eating Space operated by one organisation under the government.

Group zone – For couples or family seating, booking for group zone is a good choice for after work dinners.

Machine Zone – As fully-booked food and Co-eating area is possible, food vending machines can be provided. However, during rush hour, this area might also be suitable.

All eating area would be facilitated by Co-Eating Space operation. Eating regulations and indications would be well operated according to the government guidelines.

Restaurants only need to set up cloud kitchen and deliver food to this place without any operation concerns. Moreover, consumers can trust that this place poses no risks for pandemic spread. Cost for operations and services can be reduced as there is no need to hire waiters for dish serving hence restaurant rental cost per branch can also turn into other benefits.

Food Hub is the creative design project, which proposes potential new normal direction for current situation and for the future. If COVID-19 continues to stay with us, the ultimate objective of food hub project is to keep restaurants in business with well operations and allowing consumers to comfortably come to use the space. The world after COVID-19 might be forced to reduce the number of people in one place, therefore restaurants will be no longer be only in the department stores but also within mall areas. Eventually, the normal restaurant with its own kitchen may be transformed into to co-eating space as ‘FOOD HUB’.

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Design

Absolute Social Spacing Wipawan Laitananont

Department of Product Design Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design

COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives as it can cause immense human suffering, and challenge the most basic foundations of societal well-being.

Beyond the rapid impacts on health, businesses, and jobs, this drastic situation is increasing people’s anxiety and concern. COVID-19 has been effecting not only laypersons but also members of religious community namely monks, nuns and lay practitioners. In Buddhist religion community, the official COVID-19 pandemic response includes conventional emergency health and sanitation measures like recommending for face masks, hand-washing and social distancing. Because the routine schedule for monks and nuns are different and varied, therefore, health concern and safety are prioritized. Social distancing as well as sanitation should be well managed within Buddhist community.

Concurrently, plastic pollution is also one of the major problems in Thailand, as well as a global issue, effecting land and marine environments. The human’s reliance on plastics can cause immeasurable environmental damage.

Hence, “Absolute Social Spacing” is intentionally designed to serve the current situation. It is a compact multi-functional tupik tent that is designed for monks, nuns and lay practitioners to be used in an air-conditioned room or an indoor space during their dhamma retreat. The upcycled fabric is meticulously selected for “Absolute Social Spacing” made from plastic bottles. The bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can only be used.

In the manufacturing process, the fabric is the mixture between cotton fiber and zinc oxide nanoparticle, transforming them into nano fabric. Furthermore, it provides anti-odor properties as they are sewn with antibacterial polyester zinc strands. As a result, the fabric becomes soft, smooth, breathable and quick dry.

The upcycled fabric “Absolute Social Spacing” is designed for monks, nuns and lay practitioners to be used in an air-conditioned room or indoor space during their meditating and perform chanting. This aims to reduce some of their anxieties associated with COVID-19 pandemic. “Absolute Social Spacing” incorporates multiplepurpose product design including tupik tent, meditation cushion and buff headwear with which users can find comfort, privacy, safeguard and tranquility.

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Design

Embrace Social Distancing with the Playful Equipped Set Chananya Apiwatphong

Department of Interior Architecture, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design

The COVID-19 pandemic may change people’s behavior forever. Although we cannot predict the future but as designers, it is our responsibility to design something as a solution to the problem. This equipped set for public space furniture tries to create a ‘sensible’ social distancing expressed as playful yet can provide awareness of the situation at all times.

This equipped set is designed to loudly communicate the importance for distancing and safety by using hard rubber injected into a mold in the COVID-19 virus shape and stick to the strap that will hold to the seating shape.

The design is intended to function as a partition to separate seat, and at the same time, the shape of COVID-19 virus can immediately urge the awareness of the situation.

The COVID-19 virus shape once it pokes people who sit too close will not be harmful because it is made of hard rubber, which can still bend once pressed. But it will help with keeping the distance in a fun way.

Playful COVID-19 set installation Playful COVID-19 set with strap

Designed to enhance the flexibility of usage, this playful equipped set can be removed and rearranged at a later time to use with other public space furniture if needed.

Corona Virus inspiration forms

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Interior Architectural Design

Space for ‘US’ a spatial relationship for family distancing Designing a singlefamily house relationships between family members’ behavior and the effectiveness of the space usage for interpersonal communication, in which people can share their spaces and spend time together or sometimes they can have their own privacy.

Nataporn Thipayavatna

Department of Interior Architecture, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design A relationship in between family members plays a significant role in family culture and value. The design of a house also corresponds to family living, and enhances the quality of life. House nowadays is not just a place for living, it has become a place for family members to do many activities together or separately. Especially in the recent situation of COVID-19 pandemic, work from home and online learning are now a new lifestyle.

The project is to design a single-family house for a family of three located in Saimai, a residential district in Bangkok. Within a limited space, the project studies the spatial

A two-storey house is located in Noble Gable VatcharapolPhoemsin, Bangkok, Thailand. Its area is around 200 square meters, half is occupied by outdoor green area and parking while the interior usable area is approximately 100 square meters. Existing interior space provides typical zones, follow by a kitchen, living zone, powder room, 3 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. There are 3 members living together, 50-year-old father and mother, both are designers who work from home sometimes, and 17-year-old son. They do not need more extension space in their house, but they requested to utilize existing interior space with flexibility and functionality. Also, the concerns are more on the family interaction and communication that can also allow family members to have personal space, especially for their son.

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Design Methodology: The concept space for ‘US’ describes a sense of family distancing between united space and separation. The idea of design is to carefully curate small spaces in single house unit to encourage greater interactivity, sharing and living together, personal behavior, and privacy.

Space organization is as follows: -The open plan of living by arranging furniture according to the use of space, circulation parameters, human behavior and proxemics is directly linked to the function and aesthetic.

-Spatial enclosures by the use of sliding ‘screens’ to play with the condition of activities, configured ‘planar’ give family’s distance; private or communal sharing area.

-Degree of ‘planar’ enclosure, adjusting a sense of transparent to solid plane, enhanced the quality of space both functional and pleasing to a sense of visual connection.

Designing a Space: In the first level, living zone is the biggest area which is a major place for family members to use together. Designing this area will focus on sharing space where family would spend time together while a personal activity could be existed occasionally. A well-designed open plan is to expand a space turned an outdoor terrace to be a part of interior area by constructing curtain wall, sliding glass door, and glass and metal grilled roof. The terrace area transforms into another part of the interior living sub-space to extend more family activities. By dividing main functions; living, eating, and working, a degree of gathering and separation between whole and sub-spaces carefully consider that each function has its own character and flows easily into other functions.

if ‘sliding door’ was only chosen to close, space will be separated physically, but can still introduce a visual connection effectively for family relationship.

The second level of the house concerns more about space for privacy. Typically, the master bedroom is a private area for two members (dad and mom), while bedroom 2 and 3 is the son’s territory. Bedroom 2 in the middle of the floor can be turned into a multi space for his’s leisure activities such as playing drum or collecting toys. However this area can also be used as a sharing space for small working operation of all family members. The two solid walls positioned upstairs are removed and replaced by ‘sliding door’ and another side around a central staircase there is a glass balcony ‘screen’ with ‘sliding partition’, in order to create a sense of openness, space within space in the design outcome. Both ‘planar’ represent a degree of enclosure, playing a role in the space of a privacy. An action of ‘sliding partition’ during the day is for an open play space and closing it when the son needs his private time. Degree of ‘screen’ enclosure can adjust a sense of transparent or solid plane, enhancing a quality of space for family communication in terms of function and pleasing to the senses of visual connection.

The overall interior atmosphere is modern simplicity. Built-in furniture, wall-finished design by using natural wood, light grey and white color with natural light and warm-white light ambient to create a sense of harmony. Decorative items are selected by their own favorite lifestyle to add up as lively accent in contrast with the space. A a result, this house is a sentimental place, space for ‘US’, living together, combines the pursuit of family lifestyle that focus on interactivity, contributing to spatial relationships between all together and privacy.

In this case, two layers of ‘screens’, sliding door and vertical blind, act as double ‘planar’ is the main key design, merging and combining spatial relationship for both private and public usage within the same area as well as ‘Vertical blind’ and ‘Sliding door’ act connecting a visual view between outas ‘screen’, adjusted door and indoor. The furniture arrangean openness and closeness. ment is another key to create a family distancing and setting for individual activities; especially working zone, that can take place at different dimensions. Fix-grouping and movable furniture layout reflected loose and flexible program.

The idea of space extension continued interior space linking between inside and green outdoor space

For different user scenarios, ‘Screens’, sliding door and vertical blind, can choose to be closed. If both are closed, privacy will appear into sub-space from the coherence, giving a completely sense of physically and visually separation while ‘vertical blind’ can make various choices, space will represent from a sense of openness to closeness perceiving as family connection to separation. In contrast,

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Design

The Green artistic interior elements for rehabilitation project during Covid 19 Orn-laor Homsettee

Department of Interior Architecture, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design A hospital is a strategic point for disease control. Hospitals and healthcare professionals are therefore very important in assisting and treating patients to provide timely and accurate care for infected people and to reduce the risk of spreading disease Through Air Safety to others. Many healthcare workers Glue Technology, also need to quarantine themselves emissions from Panel Plus Melamine Faced when returning home to prevent Panels will not be the spread of the disease to their released more than 1.5 milligrams per liter families. Therefore, rehabilitation of of formaldehyde. healthcare professionals is essential to increase the efficiency of the care especially for an increasing number of patients. For this reason, Srithanya hospital has allocated an area within the hospital to allow medical personnel to have a shortterm accommodation. The project was then commissioned to the Center of Research and Design Innovation Service (CRDIS) in collaboration with Panel Plus and

LivBetter co., Ltd and the Department of Interior Architecture within the School of Architecture and Design at Assumption University.

Together, knowledge was brought into the designing of cabinets for patients and medical personnel at Srithanya hospital. There are 5 buildings in 10 departments: the female ward, the male ward, the psychiatric ward, and the rehabilitation ward. This program aims to provide a comfortable shelter for physician assistants and a place to advise service workers, who care for the most burdensome patients, to take care of their own mental health.

Green interior elements were also considered in designing of equipment storage inside the building, focusing on utility in simple forms, and using materials with special properties to reduce the spread of bacteria and virus.

The design also takes into account the material selection that has industry standards in terms of quality wood substitutes that entail social responsibility and environmental awareness of 100% renewable as a raw material.

The softwood panels made from the rubber wood used in the project are also more durable than hardwood as they can offer more flexibility and stability and enhance the service life of the furniture.

Panel Plus Melamine Faced Panels meticulously create the most natural-looking surfaces that mimic the aesthetic of real wood to fulfill endless design imagination.

Cabinet with Air Safety Glue Technology, emissions from Panel Plus Melamine Faced Panels.

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Design

Creating outdoor furniture for public space, to be safe from the coronavirus outbreak Bunjongsak Pimthong

Department of Product Design, Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design In critical situation of COVID 19, we are forced to change into the New Normal lifestyle. This disrupts the way people used to be in all aspects, all over the world.

Furniture in public space needs to urgently communicate the safe distance in this situation. This furniture creates the physical distance that prevents people from getting too close to each other. The beam in Perspective between is designed to be twoDrawing : To present meter apart to separate the 4 seats function, usage, form & structure on both ends.

Many studies also reveal that different coating materials allow for different transmission rate of COVID-19 virus. The image below shows the example of time length that the virus survives on different surfaces.

Conceptual Idea sketch

As the material used is key in preventing the spread of the virus, this furniture made of Zinc with copper coating is a good choice for the design. The glossy and shiny texture will accumulate heat faster and weaken the virus.

This helps eliminate possible contaminants since the surfaces dry quickly throughout any hidden area. The simple and minimal graphic shape of this furniture derives from how parts are interlocked and screwed together.

The design aims to not disrupt the sharing of public area seating but to maintain safety by clearly communicating the importance the new distancing requirements. As a result, people will not feel bothered by the social distancing rules.

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Published by

Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design Assumption University

Principal Editor

Assistant Professor Chutarat Laomanacharoen

Editor

Dr. Le Thi Thu Huong

Peer Review Coordinator Ms. Wipawan Laitananont

Reviewers

Assistant Professor Piti Khuptawathin Assistant Professor Pailin Phokthavi Ms. Juthathip Techachumreon

Book Design

art4d WORKS Wasawat Dechapirom Pitipat Tubtim Copyright 2021 No responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

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