NextFab COVID-19 Design Challenge (Part 2)

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our world. As we return to the new normal, what does it look like for the city of Philadelphia? What does a safe reopening of restaurants, bars, and stores mean?

NextFab is putting a call out to the designers, thinkers, and innovators of Philadelphia to come together to ask ourselves, how can we make a difference by creating ways to have healthier and safer interactions? We’re taking a “blue sky” approach to assessing problems and designing solutions, where we’ll try to think outside of just the obvious solutions (barriers between cash registers and customers, stickers on the ground six feet apart from each other, etc.), and start thinking about social/emotional issues as well (fears of leaving your home, uncertainty of new rules, the ethics surrounding this new style of living, etc.).

This will be a series of three webinars hosted by Machele Nettles (Industrial Designer and owner of Jewelry company, Idol Light) and Chris Kolb (Industrial Designer at NextFab) to bring together members of the community to help collaborate on design solutions for a safe reopening of businesses in Philadelphia.

In the first workshop (July 7th,10am ET) we’ll be talking about the design process, diving into an icebreaker, and having town-hall-style discussion where we’ll hear from you. We’ll close this webinar by sending out assignments for participants to start gathering information, making observations, and surveying family/friends etc.

The second workshop (July 10th,10am ET) will begin by breaking into small groups to discuss your observations. We’ll then meet back as a large group to present our discoveries. From there we’ll break off into groups again to brainstorm solutions. We’ll close this webinar by creating small teams for the final assignment.

In the final workshop (July 14th,10am ET) teams will be presenting their ideas/designs/solutions to the group followed by a Q and A.

We’re hoping that by organizing the designers and thinkers of Philadelphia into one place it will foster new relationships and create innovative solutions. We see this as a starting point, and it is our highest hope that this challenge will spin off into other projects and groups to continue this important work.

To register for this webinar series please click here:

Webinar One

Webinar Two

Webinar Three

*Note: To participate in this Design Challenge, you must be able to attend all three webinars.