Back in mid-May VC issued its first return to office initiative. These initial steps of returning to the office included: limiting employees back in the office, one way path of travel, and relocation of appliances to maintain a 6-foot distance. As time has progressed, as a firm, we have adapted and enhanced the steps to […]
Ultraviolet, UV, is a form of electromagnetic radiation. UV radiation results in both chemical and biological effects, which have healing properties when used in moderation. UV light is a form of radiation that has been more recently explored in efforts to help combat COVID-19. The benefits of UV lighting in the built environment may have […]
March 2020 marked the beginning of the COVID-19 national emergency. It simultaneously feels like it was yesterday, but also a lifetime ago. Life seemingly changed overnight, and the conventional office environment was uprooted. The once busy rush hour commute went silent, and the buzz of the city disappeared in the blink of an eye. […]
Collaboration is an essential part of workplace culture. Working together increases and strengthens satisfaction, morale, and productivity in the office. In this new hybrid workplace, employees may be collaborating from various remote locations and the need for quality communication has never been more important. As designers and employees alike, COVID-19 has forced us to rethink […]
Wayfinding is integral to offices to assist employees in orienting themselves within the space. New protocols surrounding COVID-19 and social distancing have upended the familiar territory of the office landscape. By creating specific COVID-19 signage and graphics that address these new protocols, employees will understand how to navigate a familiar space in an unfamiliar way. […]
Rituals have the ability to reduce anxiety in the people who use them. Whether it is how we psych ourselves up for a big pitch or attend a networking event, rituals help to calm nerves in uncertain situations, set a tone for a day or moment, and strengthen bonds between team members. But rituals require […]
As we are experiencing the beginning steps of returning to the workplace, many are wondering what the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are on the spaces in which we spend so much of our waking time: the office. It is clear that a focus on building occupants’ health and well-being will outlast today’s virus. […]
For decades, sustainability has been a key element of architectural design; since COVID-19 appeared, discussions around antimicrobial materials have surpassed sustainable products in popularity. But are they really the solution? Understanding the lifespan of coronavirus on surfaces may not improve the way we design healthy work environments. However, it could guide us towards protocols that […]
People throughout modern history have studied how the body relates to the built environment. From da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man (c 1490) to Neufert’s Architects’ Data (1936) the desire to use geometric shapes to describe the human form and the space around it is evident. The human body and its relation to space create spatial standards, […]
The CDC’s Hierarchy of Controls lists the most effective to least effective solutions for protecting people from a hazard. Unsurprisingly, eliminating the hazard is the most effective solution, while PPE is the least effective. PPE should only be utilized in instances where none of the other controls are feasible. In the middle of the CDC’s […]
