Daily coronavirus architecture and design briefing: 7 April
Daily coronavirus briefing: today's architecture and design coronavirus briefing includes an Iranian shrine being used to make masks, Foster + Partners' design for a face shield and a ventilator prototype by Tesla.
Foster + Partners designs open-source laser-cut face shield
Foster + Partners has created a shield that can be manufactured quickly and disassembled, sanitised and reused after wearing. The British firm is among a number of architecture practices like BIG, KPF and Handel Architects that are creating personal protective equipment (via Dezeen).
Iran holy shrine turned into mask workshop
The Shah Cheragh shrine in the Iranian city of Shiraz has been temporarily converted into a mask manufacturing workshop. Photos released by Fars News Agency show people working on sewing machines and assembling the masks in the highly decorative shrine (via IFP news).
Tesla unveils ventilator prototypes
Tesla has shared a new video on its YouTube channel showing two versions of the ventilator the company is building to address the shortage caused by the coronavirus crisis. One is a prototype model, with its components laid out across a desk, the other a packaged model that shows how the ventilator could look when used by a hospital (via The Verge).
Lindsey Adelman and Apparatus auction off designs to raise money for PPE
The online auction At Home will raise money for Direct Relief, which is working to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to New York's health workers. Lindsey Adelman and Apparatus are among 40 local design studios and makers that have donated to the cause (via Dezeen).
Helpful Engineering creates design collective
Non-profit organisation Helpful Engineering has established a global network of volunteers to crowdsource designs that can be helpful in the fight against coronavirus. The first product created by the group is a face shield that can be made using a home 3D printer (via Helpful Engineering).
Hastings Contemporary launches robot-led guided tours
The Hastings Contemporary art gallery in the south of England is offering virtual tours of its exhibition of British abstract artist Victor Pasmore in real time, led by a robot (via Guardian).
Self-isolating is a luxury says New York Times
Lower-income workers across the USA are still moving around the city while wealthier residents are self-isolating, according to smartphone location data analysed by The New York Times (via New York Times).
RISD graduates prototype mask and face shields
Five alumni of Rhode Island School of Design have joined the effort to create face shields and masks to meet the growing demand for medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic (via Dezeen).
Female-focused co-working club The Wing closes its doors indefinitely
The Wing, an international co-working club famous for its female-focused membership, has laid-off or furloughed the majority of its staff. The announcement came three weeks after the club closed its doors and suspended its memberships. "We simply don't know when we will reopen," said co-founder Audrey Gelman (via Instagram).
Grimshaw starts 3D printing face masks
Grimshaw is the latest architecture studio to start 3D printing face masks as part of the UK's National 3D Printing Society campaign (via Grimshaw Twitter).
Keep up with developments by following Dezeen's coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. For news of impacted events, check Dezeen Events Guide's dedicated coronavirus page.