i + D - May/June 2020 - 48

Living by
Design
Outdoor
Spaces

A San Diego residence
greatly amplifies its space
with a NanaWall.
(Image: Courtesy of NanaWall)

Sweating the Details
It will be years before the full impact of the pandemic on architecture,
design, construction, and engineering is known, but designers have been
speculating. Moody is already seeing one clear trend in his business: Calls
for designing home vegetable gardens have increased significantly-whether
out of paranoia induced by the sight of empty grocery store shelves, or
simply because people have more time at home and growing food is a nice
way to connect with nature.
"We had victory gardens during World War II, so maybe these could be
called restorative gardens," Moody says. "People need to restore their
mental and physical health-having a connection to food and plants is a way
to do that safely in your backyard." He foresees an increase in demand for
indoor gardens, as well. And he predicts the pandemic will force a rethinking
of the design of senior living facilities, where society's most vulnerable have
been stuck in what are essentially virus incubators, with little access to social
stimulation, much less the outdoors.
Another design category ripe for change: outdoor furniture. "We know that
people have always liked the flexibility of movable furniture," Moody says.
"Before we often thought about it in terms of moving from sun to shade,
depending on the time of day or season. Now it might be thought of in terms
of whether or not we can move benches 6 feet apart so that people feel
more comfortable in a public setting and have control over how close they
are to others."

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This pandemic may last years, and like any previous major
social transformation, it is likely to leave a lasting impact on
public life. Fears of future infectious disease outbreaks could
make social distancing a permanent norm. In thinking about
how municipalities will prioritize their investments in public
places, Cutler assumes that flexible, adaptable spaces will rule
the day. It might not be a time to invest in sports facilities or
outdoor amphitheaters, for example. Whereas grassy fields
surrounded by meandering trails remain a good bet, one that
is relatively light on strained municipal budgets.
Park programming and management may be even more
important than physical features for the time being. Will it
be necessary to hire rangers to enforce social distancing? In
high-demand environments, such as city beaches in summer,
perhaps there will be a line to enter, just like at stores. Cities
already have systems in place to reserve ball fields and picnic
pavilions, so it's conceivable that apartment dwellers in big
cities might soon reserve their 6-foot-by-6-foot spot in the sun
each week.
Ultimately, residents must decide what they want their shared
civic future to look like. This spring, Cutler is conducting a series
of public engagement meetings-virtually, of course-to solicit
input on the design of a new wastewater treatment facility
that will double as a park. "It will be enlightening to hear what
people are thinking," he says.

BRIAN J. BARTH
is a freelance writer with a background in
environmental planning and design. He has written for
a range of publications, from Landscape Architecture
Magazine to NewYorker.com.

i+D - May/June 2020

20-05-21 09:48
http://www.NewYorker.com
i + D - May/June 2020

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