+353 1 902 3944
sketch@getscriba.com
How Designers Around the World are Showing Resilience During the Pandemic
Jun 04, 2020
Despite the design industry being hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, designers have not been discouraged from seeking and discovering new opportunities amid the chaos.
With social distancing measures altering the daily lives of millions of individuals across the world, almost every industrial sector has been affected. Many industries have been hard hit by the effects of the pandemic, but not all. Some industries actually stand to profit from the pandemic, such as e-commerce and cloud computing.
But these are tough times for the design industry. Budgets have been slashed, workplaces abandoned and exhibitions and events cancelled. Nearly two-thirds of American designers and creatives have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and self-employed designers are struggling to access government support for their income loss. But the industry is showing great resilience in the face of this pandemic and have not been discouraged from seeking and discovering new opportunities amid the chaos. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
But these are tough times for the design industry. Budgets have been slashed, workplaces abandoned and exhibitions and events cancelled. Nearly two-thirds of American designers and creatives have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and self-employed designers are struggling to access government support for their income loss. But the industry is showing great resilience in the face of this pandemic and have not been discouraged from seeking and discovering new opportunities amid the chaos. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
Image created by Kevin Kobsic. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives - help stop the spread of COVID-19
PPE
COVID-19 has created a huge demand for PPE, such as surgical masks, gloves and gowns. Global supply chains have been put under immense pressure due to the pandemic and this has resulted in market manipulation with PPE reportedly doubling in price. For people in the first line of defence, such as healthcare workers, this shortage is putting the lives of workers and patients at direct risk from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
To keep them safe, there is an immediate need for innovative solutions that will provide PPE in sufficient quantities when and where it is needed. This is where designers can step in. United by Makerversity, a community of makers, designers can use their network of professionals and their knowledge of fabrication and distribution to make 3D printed face shields and other PPE that is in demand. Design & technology teachers are using their abandoned classrooms and unused 3D printers to play their part in supporting medical workers.
Don’t have a 3D printer at hand? Handy with a needle and thread? You can also support workers on the frontline by making scrubs and gowns. You can even play your part by making DIY fabric face masks for use in non-medical environments which will help preserve PPE stocks for those who need it most.
Design Competitions
If you’re interested in tackling a problem related to the pandemic through design, there are many opportunities to respond to open calls across a range of disciplines- and on a world scale. COVID-19 has united the world around a common concern and thanks to technology, it is easy to connect, collaborate and share with creators on an international scale.
During the pandemic, visual messaging has been, and continues to be, important to relay messages to the public in clear and effective ways. The UN has recognised the important role creatives play in creating effective campaigns and issued an open call for any visual creative medium that expresses one of the key messages of the UN’s response to the pandemic, such as social distancing and personal hygiene. Responses included graphic design, embroidery and illustration.
The Global Grad Show invited the global student community to submit innovative proposals that address any issues relating to the pandemic. The submissions are diverse and cover areas of technology, engineering, product design and medicine.
The Global Grad Show invited the global student community to submit innovative proposals that address any issues relating to the pandemic. The submissions are diverse and cover areas of technology, engineering, product design and medicine.
Opportunities for Young People
For students and young people stuck at home due to school closures, they may feel powerless over their current circumstances. But the pandemic may serve as an interesting opportunity to develop problem-solving and creative-thinking skills. These skills are more critical than ever as the future grows less certain. Makersempire
have specially developed design challenges related to the pandemic to encourage children to think innovatively and feel a sense of empowerment during a turbulent time. The resources are free to use and suitable for use by teachers, parents and caregivers.
Learn from Creatives Around the World
For those looking for more inspiration, Wallpaper* Magazine has tapped into its global network of creators to document the stories and projects arising during this difficult time. Each instalment of World View
spotlights a different international city where we can learn how local designers are meeting the challenges of the pandemic with creativity and resilience- and finding the silver linings.
Articles
The United Nations has described the disruption to education caused by the pandemic as ‘unparalleled’. At the virus’ worldwide peak in April, it is estimated that over 90% of all enrolled learners, from kindergarten to bachelors and beyond, had their education affected by school closures and the pandemic (UNESCO). For many university students and older children, they have had to adapt quickly to online learning. They can keep in touch with their peers and teachers online and continue their studies, albeit in a highly modified way. As challenging as this may be, this experience will help equip them for a future that is increasingly online. For parents of younger children, they are assuming a new role: their child’s home school teacher. This is in addition to their usual childcare and household duties, their work responsibilities and often emotional and financial worries caused by the pandemic. Stressful? Yes. The good, and somewhat surprising, news? The experts advise that you don’t teach your children - at least not in the way you might expect.
If the recent outbreak of Covid-19 has taught us anything, it's that many adults do not wash their hands effectively. It has never been more important that we support our children to develop good personal hygiene to keep themselves and our families safe. This seemingly easy task can be very difficult for children with fine motor skill difficulties. In this article, we explore some ideas to support your child with hand washing.
Lockdown has brought the digital future into the now. Online shopping, entertainment, education and more have moved from the periphery to the mainstream to, in many cases, the only option. With the necessity of social distancing looking to continue for many months, it appears that this rapid digital revolution is here to stay. This means that life as we know it, in most of its sectors, has changed forever. In order to survive, businesses are having to adapt rapidly, embrace technology and look to the future. Architecture is no exception. There has been a widespread adoption of technology and VR over the past few months in response to the lockdown across all of society. Elderly grandparents who were once resistant to adopt new technologies talk of “Zooming” and have started video chatting with their family members to combat loneliness. Art galleries that were once considered stuffy or pretentious are now pioneers in VR technology, with Google Art & Culture offering tours of London’s National Gallery or the Musee D’Orsay in Paris. These virtual tours deliver art in a dynamic new way that can be far more engaging than regular photos. Critics have applauded the panoramic and immersive views of gallery building and exhibitions which work well for rendering of 2 dimensional art, however impressions of sculpture is somewhat lacklustre. With VR technology, users can enjoy a truly immersive experience in the comforts, and safety, of their own home. The COVID-19 pandemic has served as an accelerant for the arts and entertainment industries to embrace VR.
