Junko Yamamoto and Yuan Zhang are hosting the next Global Practice Network virtual discussion with EVA Studio (UK) and Atelier Bow-Wow (Japan) on June 5th, 2020.

Public Space as Social Infrastructure — A Conversation with EVA Studio and Atelier BowWow

Program Intro:

Is quarantine the time to design the way we imagine space?

Crises are opportunities to reevaluate our current systems and reimagine our future. During this pandemic, healthcare professionals have demonstrated their expertise to respond to immediate needs. Non-healthcare designers have also proposed ideas for personal protective devices or spaces that allow our daily needs to be met without contacting another person, like supermarket layouts. These visible demands are straightforward and may often be temporary, but how about those that are invisible, such as the need for social connection while physically distancing?

EVA studio, in their latest article, discussed adjusted ways of using public spaces, including balconies, corridors, rooftops, and community gardens, which reinforce the social connections during the quarantine. This newly observed behaviors during the lockdown may be an opportunity to reimagine the role of such social infrastructure. How can they be utilized as a resource to inform site-specific spatial solutions? What are the implications for how we approach design in the future?

Eva Studio will share their projects and thoughts on public spaces. Atelier BowWow will share their on-going research at ETH that questions the relationship between the physical space and the users, especially in the learning environment. We will further discuss the topic of public space as social infrastructure with the audience.

https://www.architects.org/events/194868/2020/06/05/virtual-global-practice-public-space-as-social-infrastructure-a-conversation-with-eva-studio-and-atelier-bow-wow