Pandemic Architecture, an International Ideas Competition curated by the Design Ambassador for ARCHISEARCH.gr,  invited the creative community to open up a dialogue and create a think tank, looking for ideas from the architectural and design community about the future of the living, the workspace, the public space and the tourism industry after the outbreak of Covid-19.

FCThree was longlisted in top 100 out of 440 projects.

-text by the authors

Nowadays the COVID-19 pandemic situation and the worldwide consequence of lockdown, increase the number of persons suffering from stress, anxiety and panic, aggravated by the restricted environmental condition and the uncertainty’s feeling. We believe that spaces surrounding us can really help driving our feelings towards a more relaxing sensation.

Each “capsule” has a healing purpose and it is deprived of the unnecessary and is defined only by colour, light and material, according to the mental disease it is designed for.

Anyone experiencing anxiety is living an excessive concern for everything perceived as uncontrollable, leading to difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, sleep problems and irritability. The capsule design’s concept is a dandelion flower in a full orange version, used to create a stimulating space that allows the expression of creativity. The specific configuration of the flower’s petals is taken in advance to guide the natural light towards the centre of the capsule, direct light helps the three dimensional perception of the environment. The interior’s materials give a soft and wrapping environment, adaptable to different body’s position.

Stressed people suffer from an excessive intolerance towards the household environment directly linked to the difficult relations with the other family members or flatmates. To avoid the rise of this feeling the capsule creates a relaxing spot where to stay and, using a diffused light, it allows the isolation from the home’s restricted spaces. Tulip is the flower we thought more suitable for this capsule type because, with its natural shape, the light penetrates into the capsule, but at the same time gives some privacy screening the inside with its tall and wide petals. The green colour has a relaxing effect, while materials are more structured and people sitting in it can escape their four walls, looking outside through the gaps in between the petals.

To reduce and limit the sense of intense fear and the feeling of being out of control, people perceive during panic attack, the capsule offers a peaceful space where material’s shape perfectly fit meditations and mindfulness body positions. The space is mostly screened from sunlight, which gets in only through small voids between Dalhia’s petals. The assigned colour is the blue, intense and sedative for the mind.

Each capsule system is composed by a double membrane linked in between by an air chamber inflated by the “flower stern”, which also provides an air circulation. The inner layer presents a structural framework that supports the capsule, which is hooked to the window. The external one is used as a shading element, diversifying the kind of internal illumination.

Emergency situations reveal people’s trend to occupy balconies and terraces, our idea moves from that scenario and create an architectural element that offers space, brings values to the interior and the exterior and has a specific healing purpose.

Capsules growing around cities contrast the public spaces desolation, consequence of most emergencies we had in history, and introduce a sense of nature adding organic and colourful shapes to streets and squares.

Facts & Credits
Participants  Michela Pinna, Giulia Sola, Agnese Calissano
Country  Italy


The project was longlisted in top 100 out of 440 projects.

The impact of Pandemic Architecture competition on the international architectural community was astonishing, with the number of registrations to exceed 800, with the final proposals to exceed 400 and with participants from more than 60 different countries.
Results will be officially announced on the 25th of September.

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Check out the open call and the jury here!


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