'shield' is a bench to fight COVID-19 designed by antonio lanzillo & partners

created by milanese design studio antonio lanzillo & partners, ‘shield’ is a project that proposes how we can live in our cities post-quarantine. born from the need to return to normalcy while still safeguarding health and limiting the spread of COVID-19, the benches integrate plexiglass dividers to keep people at a safe social distance and thus limit the possibility of contagion.

all images courtesy of antonio lanzillo & partners

COVID-19 has changed the lives of us all and also the urban dynamics of our cities; it is no longer possible to move freely in our squares, streets and parks. as a place to sit, relax and socialize, benches are normally an indispensable piece of urban furniture. however, with restrictions on movement, what was once so normal is now forbidden.

antonio lanzillo & partners has therefore created a collection of benches with a protective and functional design; a metal and concrete version able to ensure a safe distance between people through glass or plexiglass dividers. the transparency of the partitions will create a barrier, a protective shield for people who will use the bench, but with a limited aesthetic impact and in harmony with the surrounding environment. this project marks antonio lanzillo & partners’s contribution to the COVID-19 pandemic and a starting point for living in our cities in the coming months – a simple idea to allow people to share public spaces together again in compliance with the rules.

project info:

project name: shield

design: antonio lanzillo and giuseppe gurrado (antonio lanzillo & partners)

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom