Skate brand Palace raises funds for NHS while Bjarke Ingels posts images of BIG face shields
A fundraiser by cult brand Palace and an update on BIG's face-shields project feature in today's round of design-related coronavirus stories.
Health workers treating coronavirus are "frontline athletes who need equipment" says Nike PPE lead
Creating personal protective equipment for frontline medical workers fighting coronavirus is just like making sportswear for an athlete, says Nike's Michael Donaghu, who was part of the team that made face shields from the brand's supply chain (via Dezeen).
Palace designs NHS-themed hoodies and T-shirts for charity
British skatewear brand Palace is creating a collection of tops with National Health Service printed in blue in its signature triangle icon to raise money for NHS Charities Together (via Palace Instagram).
Medical staff report problems with unisex PPE designs
Healthcare workers have warned that unisex designs for personal protective equipment (PPE) do not fit smaller people, many of whom are women, meaning they do not provide full protection from coronavirus (via BBC).
Flat-pack face shield promises to be "most comfortable" yet
ViraShade is a face shield that comes flat packed and is assembled by simply drawing the thick elastic to create an M-frame for the visor (via ViraShade).
Prediction model says pandemic will last until the end of the year
Data scientists at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have created a model that predicts when the coronavirus pandemic will end in different countries, suggesting the world won't be clear until 2 December 2020 (via SUTD).
BIG reveals stacks of 3D-printed face shields in use around the world
Bjarke Ingels, founder of architecture studio BIG, has posted a series of photos on his personal Instagram of 3D-printed face shields made by his company being used by medical staff in the USA and Europe (via Bjarke Ingels Instagram).
University of East Anglia designs hands-free gadget for healthcare workers
DoorMate is a handheld device with a hook and a prong, developed by a team of university researchers, that lets hospital staff open doors and push buttons without touching them (via Norwich Evening News).
"Our priority is to play our part in society at large" says Ben van Berkel
UNStudio founder Ben van Berkel says the architecture firm is researching "how design can support the sectors that are in need" after the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, in a video message for Virtual Design Festival (via Dezeen).
Capital of Lithuania to become one big open-air bar and restaurant
Public space in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, will be given over to the city's bars and restaurants so they can serve customers while maintaining social distancing rules (via The Guardian).
Annie Leibovitz shares sneak peek of postponed Met exhibition
Fashion photographer Annie Leibovitz has teased some of the items that are due to go on display at the About Time exhibition at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has been delayed due to the pandemic (via Annie Leibovitz).
Silk face masks sewn in Afghanistan to save lives and livelihoods
Afghan designer Rika Sadat, who survived life under the Taliban, is creating jobs for newly unemployed people in Herat making masks from local silk (via The National).
Carlo Ratti's Pura-Case uses "ozone power" to sanitise clothes
Italian studio Carlo Ratti Associati has designed a concept for a battery-powered wardrobe purifier that uses ozone to remove bacteria and viruses from the user's clothes (via Dezeen).
Lucy & Yak sews colourful scrubs for healthcare workers in need
British fashion brand Lucy & Yak has sewn up cheerful cotton scrubs and sent them to hospitals for NHS staff to meet the increased demand for personal protective equipment (via Lucy & Yak).
Watch all eight episodes of Netflix's Abstract: The Art of Design series
Netflix has made all eight episodes of its documentary series Abstract: The Art of Design, which features set designer Es Devlin, architect Bjarke Ingels and interior designer Ilse Crawford, available to watch for free during coronavirus lockdown (via Dezeen).
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.