Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1237083
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 APRIL 2020 CORONAVIRUS CRISIS An open letter to architects DANIEL TABONE ARCHITECTS aren't of much use during a pandemic. Internationally, some firms have been redesigning face masks or entering competitions for hospital or open market concepts – boosting their websites or cre- ating a false sense of 'essential service' vibe to justify years of sacrifice – when what is required is the continuous manufacture of what has been tried and tested ages ago. Locally, we've been even less useful to the public – just look at the news. There are, however, some problems that can be tack- led: namely, open or buffer enclaves within the spaces we design. These spaces are not only a point of con- tact with the outside. If designed with some sense, they can offer so much to the dwell- ing. Such as the integration of services like waterpoints at dwelling entrances or hall- ways and porches, where it is more practical to 'sanitize' oneself prior to entering one's own sanctuary: essentially, it's useless en- tering directly through the living area and washing hands in the bathroom at the end of the corridor, as with common apartment layouts these days. Typical of older dwell- ings, entrance halls were commonplace and though not primarily designed as such, they could offer this amenity and separate the heart of the dwelling from the street. Present policies and laws on internal and back-yard size give minimum open spaces for light and ventilation, but don't always promise ad- equacy. They are also very re- strictive, not allowing designers to get truly creative. Let's face it, in a rogue free mar- ket, these minimums have become a rule of thumb. In a socie- ty facing calls to stay inside, any architect should be studying these spaces and others like balconies, terraces, front gardens, roof airspaces and even solar rights. On an urban scale, we should kindle solu- tions for the distribution, and creation, of pavements and other public routes that integrate public services, re-thought to suit the human scale beyond the sardine-like hoarding of people. Internationally, tradi- tionally congested cities are finding it nec- essary to open roads for pedestrians on ma- jor thoroughfares, allowing for actual social distancing while not necessarily closing shop. In Malta, where healthcare has been so far more successful in 'COVID-control', this might be even more effective. Rather than seeing the empty roads solely as an op- portunity for more road con- struction, now would be the time to test the waters on tactical alternatives, and who knows, we might like it. It's not only architects who are at fault. If you're selling you should be responsible for a good product and if you're buying, you'd know your priorities and what you're investing in. If a garage is more important than the size of your terrace, there's always the promenade to visit when not in lock- down. However, pandemic or not, a build- ing which falls short of providing adequate buffer and contact with the outside, can just as well be classified as a container with a nice gypsum soffit ceiling. Even when outside, the car is an excellent capsule to sit comfortably in, but you'd have to get out eventually. Think about all this whenever you feel 'stuck' at home or when you try to understand why there are still people on the streets. Remember, these thoughts will come in very handy as we next tackle climate change. Choose your backdrop: working from home is an art THE teleconferencing meeting has a new dimension. Forget the office boardroom. Is it the living room with boisterous children running riot, or the intimacy of the bed- room? Challenges abound in the COV- ID-19 home environment, where workers who have had the luck of keeping on their jobs from home must now hunker down into a rad- ically different routine: PJs or pow- er tie? Energy bar or grazing at the fridge? Tough choices… But the DAAA HAUS team of interior designers and architects say making one's home a better environment does not require a refurbishment project. You would not even need to pick up a paint- brush… just push the border of your creativity and step out of the comfort zone to find ways to im- provise and stay active. "We highly advise defining your new routines. Set up a clock for waking up at the same time each morning. Contin- ue with some stretching/exercises and then groom yourselves. This will give you energy and make you feel good. It's important to prepare a good breakfast (protein - carbo- hydrate - lipid). May these good things last after all this... Hopefully, they will become our 'new healthy habits'," says creative director Keith Pillow. There's also time for pampering with a glass of wine and the all-im- portant video call to friends and family, but remember: working at home also requires some form of 'discipline', which is why these tips could make your rediscover a rou- tine many of us took for granted some time ago. Improvise a memo/ corkboard to list tasks or pin inspirational quotes/ photos that can keep you motivated Define your private workspace – a corner where you go only for work with all the equipment up need. You will start feeling more focused and become more productive Make sure natural light doesn't bounce on your screen or your face – light should come in from the side; also, better to keep light shades Be as comfortable as possible: the less tired you will get, stand and stretch for three minutes every hour. It is very important for wellbeing Tidy up: our backdrops are more important than ever before with teleconferencing, so they become a reflection of ourselves Five tips for your home-work space Get organised Lighting Comfort Tidy up Get inspired Design you working out area for some fitness exercises. Ideally, the space should have a 2m clear radius around you. If not, possible be careful when working out Exercise From Old French sens, ("sense, reason, direction"), partly borrowed from Latin sensus... pertaining to the feelings your house generates sens* Create your own green corner. Whilst plants and flowers are known to bring peace, create little green corners/nurseries to help for little breaks throughout the day. Group all indoor plants in one spot or create a nursery recycling food tins and others used as containers. "One of our architects recycled broken travel luggage to give his two boys their own vegetation patch on the veranda. Kids love to copy adults whilst they play, by being given tasks and responsibility to keep a green corner can be a great way to bring awareness of nature to their sens." Create a space for your wellbeing Make sure your house smells nice throughout the day. Scents play an important role in the moods we have... "One architect mixes her own oils and found lavender and mint best for during the day. Lavender helps her relax whilst mint helps concentration. Changing the scent of your home throughout the day will help you keep a sense of time." Play low background music throughout the day. If you live on your own, sing out as music makes us feel good. But consider others if you are sharing space. Suggest common background music for the home and headphones for everyone to avoid conflict. Choosing the right music for every kind of activity can help to focus, reduce stress, play and laugh Music