Alfowzan and colleagues conducted a literature review to learn more about the design of third places and the spread of disease. The researchers report that “Third places are vital social spaces, outside the typical workplace and living environment, that facilitate meaningful interactions and contribute to an individual’s sense of community and well-being. . . . Emphasis was on exploring interior design approaches employed to reduce transmission risks, ultimately enhancing the resilience and sustainability of these spaces. . . . we found five themes [approaches]: (a) flexibility through scalability and reconfiguration; (b) fluid circulation and optimized wayfinding; (c) natural ventilation and indoor–outdoor connection; (d) infection control by material selection and design; and (e) integration of technology.”
Nurah Alfowzan, Shabboo Valipoor, and Margaret Portillo. “Unraveling the Spatial Dimensions of Disease Outbreak: Implications for the Future of Third Places – A Scoping Review.” Journal of Interior Design, in press, https://doi.org/10.1177/10717641241241293