The phrase “social distance” became common lingo early in the COVID-19 pandemic. To safely shop, work, or wait in line, people were advised to stay six feet (or two meters) apart. Graphic markers guided this new behavior. Solutions ranged from elaborate installations to hand-made solutions.
Content from the exhibition Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics, curated by MASS Design Group and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
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StoDistante, Vicchio, Italy, 2020
Caret Studio created this urban installation in spring 2020. Removable painted squares allowed people to gather safely in the central square.
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Sidewalk Graphics, New York City, 2020–21
Shopkeepers and restaurant staff around the world created markers for social distancing using tape and readily available materials.