Zero touch spaces

Distanced pods are also trending in leisure. Since we reported on the greenhouse dining concept by Amsterdam restaurant Mediamatic ETEN back in May, others have caught on to the idea, with the Lady Byrd café in Echo Park, Los Angeles also installing private dining greenhouses. At The Barn restaurant in Wisbech, UK, owner and chef Josh Green has opted for five outdoor “dining bubbles” for small groups and couples which are already booked up throughout the summer.

For those who want to get back to the office, Egyptian architect Mohamed Radwan has devised a system of interlocking pods. The project, dubbed Q.workntine, envisages individual airtight pods for each worker that can be unlocked using facial recognition, allowing contact-free entry. Hexagonal units, which can be configured in a number of different layouts to suit different spaces, are made of a non-porous material for easier disinfection and feature air-purification to tackle virus spread. Radwan’s design was recently awarded in the Responsible Design category at the DNA Paris Design Awards.

Might we even see the adoption of personal protection shields against the virus, conceptualised by Chinese architect Sun Dayong earlier this year? US company Under the Weather is hoping so, repurposing its personal protection pods for healthcare workers for everyday users in the form of Shield Pod, effectively a lightweight mini-tent worn on the body. Until a vaccine is found, it seems likely that we will be spending more time closed off in private spaces that isolate us from others. Physical social interactions and tactile sensations will be far less frequent while touch remains a source of anxiety.

Yet touch is a critical part of being human. It’s biologically good for us. In fact, those deprived of it may feel a neurological phenomenon known as ‘skin hunger.’ A special series of writings in The Guardian launched this month mourns its absence, paying tribute to ‘The Power of Touch.’