NEW CONSIDERATIONS IN DESIGNING THE CIRCULATION ELEMENTS TO REDUCE COVID 19 INFECTION

Abstract

As a result of the global pandemic recession of COVID-19, cities have imposed several restrictions to control this outbreak by closing their frontiers and forcing social distancing. The conjecture has arisen as to how architecture could be entirely influenced. This field is involved in finding solutions to reduce the spread of this pandemic which became a new issue. Unfortunately, due to the shortage of the movable and flexible circulation elements, the considerations and architectural preventive measures taken were affected during the planning of the post-pandemic built-environment. This paper, therefore, aims to propose a checklist of new design considerations for the circulation elements in the public buildings and the outdoor spaces. These considerations are hypothesised to reduce the possibilities of virus infection. COVID-19, thus providing necessary safety measures from virus attacks, enhancing the defence mechanism of our physical environment. Based on the desk research, this paper will highlight the previous readings. After that, the paper analyses Porto restaurant by MASS group design and Rising Together: The Black Experience with Police in America exhibition as case studies, to recognize their architectural approach concerning the flexibility and circulation, in response to the widespread of the pandemic, and how these strategies became important guidelines to be considered. In conclusion, various considerations in design are conducted in order to achieve the main aim mentioned previously involving health criteria.