Proxemics: pre- and post-covid

     Major changes occurred for everyone during the start and ongoing pandemic, of course a ton of life and business had to be moved online, but some of the biggest changes involved how people interact with each other. Barriers had to be raised, and clear signage placed in order to set boundaries for the public.

    One of the worst parts of this pandemic is the lack of small things that we took advantage of. Plane rides, concerts, and even just the simple act of smiling at passer-byers are all things that we have all gotten used too. In fact, I believe those privileges are what make life so enjoyable. The ability to commune with others in close contact inspires the sense of community. Pre-covid life (what seems like an eternity ago) was what we were all accustomed too.

(Proxemics)

There was no fear of being in close contact with another person, whether that be shaking their hand or having a casual conversation. There wasn't a second thought when you would walk past another customer at a grocery store, or when someone would sneeze or cough in an elevator. Proxemics of people only really included the 4 zones: public, personal, social, and intimate, but with the spreading of covid all those bubbles have drastically increased and been more important than ever.

    I have never been one to particularly love heavily crowded spaces. I have always been overly-aware of people around me and in those tight spaces the feelings of fight-or-flight kick in and my auto-defense instincts kick in. But with that all being said, not having the ability to socialize or participate in ways I used too isn't in any means better. While I definitely have some preferences to be by myself, that need of congregation is vital for mine, and I believe everyone's mental health. In the frantic panic to set up barriers and such, I don't believe that we did it with the thought of how long those barriers would be up, so a huge consequence is the mental and social affect those barriers have. So while they are pretty effective, better solutions need to be improvised to solve the problem of covid, but without the side effects that drive us apart

    So while things are getting better, designers and architects should learn from this and strive to improve and always be mindful about these levels of health and social concerns. Architecture is all about adaptive art, and that is the beauty of it. We are able to create art that is able to change with the world and culture, and always form to the modern world.

Sources:

Adams Ph.D., Jane. “Pandemic Proxemics: Is Six Feet Enough? | Psychology Today.” Www.psychologytoday.com, 9 Apr. 2020, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/between-the-lines/202004/pandemic-proxemics-is-six-feet-enough. Accessed 4 Dec. 2021.

form, Contact dr JNLeerlooijer Contact. “Distancing Practices and the Covid-19 Regime; Proxemics and the Redefinition of Social Space.” WUR, 27 Oct. 2020, www.wur.nl/en/article/Distancing-practices-and-the-Covid-19-regime-proxemics-and-the-redefinition-of-social-space.htm. Accessed 4 Dec. 2021.