2020 has been a year marked by the long shadow of COVID-19. yet amid somber news headlines and daily infection counts, we were inundated and uplifted by the imaginative response from our readership. in a year of social distancing and face mask wearing, our community of artists, architects and designers reached out with creative – and sometimes wacky – projects to tackle the virus. thanks to this open dialogue we maintain with our readers, we’ve been able to see reactions to this unprecedented pandemic from all corners of the globe.

as we say good riddance to 2020 and anticipate 2021, we take a look back at some of the most intriguing design responses to COVID-19. from an ’emotional first aid kit’ that addressed the lack of physical contact, to a pillow fortress that encouraged people to stay at home, we highlight our TOP 10 reader submissions of 2020 – COVID FREAK.

1 – man wrapped by face masks struggles to move in ‘no escape’ performance in milan, italy

landscape architect chaosteria collaborated with xixi zi and xuegang wang to present the ‘no escape’ public performance, which aimed to address the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on humans’ everyday life and their relationship with nature. the project unraveled in front of the milan cathedral, featuring a constrained man in a whole-body face mask wrap, who struggled to move within the limits of a shrinking red circle, marked on the ground.

2 – plastique fantastique’s ‘isphere’ face shield reminds of 50s sci-fi comics

image by marco barotti

considering the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in modern everyday life and human interaction, plastique fantastique created ‘isphere’ – a transparent spherical mask that protects the whole face. the iconic design was influenced by science fiction comics of the 50s and the utopian movements of the 60s.

3 – lil dumpster fire takes a cruise through town during quarantine in this animated short

image courtesy of 100% soft

this was an animated short starring ‘lil dumpster fire’, the unofficial mascot of 2020 (or maybe 2016-2020) created by truck torrence, aka 100% soft, los angeles kawaii pop artist who is known for his work with marvel studios, disney and lucasfilm as the designer of their official emoji. titled ‘lil dumpster fire’s chamber of reflection’, the video took viewers on a journey through town during quarantine.

4 – cyril lancelin imagines a pyramid of pillows as the ultimate symbol to stay home

image courtesy of cyril lancelin / town and concrete

using pillows as his weapon, french artist cyril lancelin of creative studio town and concrete envisioned the ultimate fortress to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. with ‘stay at home’ being the number one advice and instruction from governments across the globe, lancelin’s pyramid of pillows took us back to childhood memories of building dens. the pyramid was a safe refuge, a house within a house, and a warm, embracing cocoon.

5 – ‘corome virus’ depicts the deserted streets of rome in a dystopian orange haze

image courtesy of m²ft architects

when you think of rome, what’s the first image that springs to mind? perhaps a crowded trevi fountain or the sun-drenched spanish steps, full with tourists and locals alike. the italian capital is well known and loved for being a chaotic, noisy, busy, polluted and lively city. the idea of the squares and monuments are almost impossible to separate from the thousands of people who crowd them: they are the continuous layer that characterize rome. or at least that was the case before coronavirus… this project, by m²ft architects, showed the eternal city as it was during the pandemic, deserted and empty.

6 – chiu chih’s survival kit for the ever-changing planet calls attention to the state of mother earth

image courtesy of chiu chih

as we searched for solutions in the face of a global coronavirus crisis, we recalled this project from 2013 — chiu chih’s ‘survival kit for the ever-changing planet.’ originally a school project for wuhan university, where chiu chih studied industrial design, the oxygen mask responded to the deteriorating air quality within crowded living environments and the changing face of the built landscape. this led the designer to develop ‘voyage on the planet’, a project tackling big questions, and focusing on the idea that the world is in a constant state of flux.

7 – the ‘ANYTHING’ face shield can be made using whatever’s around you, even a haribo packet

image courtesy of mmm design studio

like many other creatives from across the world, mmm design studio came up with an inventive response to the COVID-19 health pandemic. their solution to providing personal protective equipment to medical staff and key workers was the ‘ANYTHING’ face shield. as the name implies, the mask was designed to be used with anything that’s around you, from a used bag of pasta, to an empty packet of haribo sweets.

8 – milan’s san siro stadium is imagined as a tree-filled monument to the victims of COVID-19

image by angelo renna

florence born architect, angelo renna, shared his idea of transforming the legendary san siro stadium into a place of commemoration in memory of the victims of COVID-19. in italy, almost 35,000 people died during the coronavirus pandemic and the city of milan was one of the main epicenters. with plans already underway to demolish the football stadium, which was first built in 1926, this project sought to save the structure while remembering those who sadly lost their lives to the virus.

9 – studio 212 fahrenheit creates a mirrored bench to symbolize our 1.5 meter society

image by julia lefeber

studio 212 fahrenheit created ‘benched’ as a symbolic and poetic representation of 2020, in which we lived in a 1.5 meter society due to the COVID-19 pandemic. it opened up possibilities for lasting encounters with friends and family but also with strangers who can sit on the bench at the same time. it ensured that we could still meet one another – even if it was at a distance.

10 – experience a hug with elena lasaite’s emotional first aid kit

in a world full of uncertainty, excess media, and limitless distractions, designer elena lasaite developed a solution to people’s rising emotional needs. the social project, ‘emotional first aid kit’ brought the experience of a hug to people in need of a warm embrace. the result was an inflatable vest that simulates a hug, aiding people who feel lonely or just want a cozy cuddle.