In these uncertain times of global emergency, to #stayathome is the imperative necessity. But can this “suspended time” be transformed into opportunity and can creativity help us to see a light at the end of this tunnel and imagine a future beyond the coronavirus crisis?
Another episode in our series about the thoughts and reflections of designers during the lockdown. Marcio Kogan shares his personal point of view.
Marcio Kogan_ph. © Raquel Kogan
How is the current situation affecting your life and work?
My answer is the same as that of everyone around the world: I am very sad with everything that is happening and here in Brazil, that we’re still at the beginning of the curve, we have an absolutely regrettable president asking people to go to the streets against the guidance of the entire scientific community. It is the third world war and we have one of these crazy dictators as it happened in Europe during that period. I'm not sure if I'm in the drama “Death in Venice” or in the comedy “The Great Dictator”.
How did you organize, or reorganize, your workspace?
At this moment, locked at home for the tenth day trying with good humour to keep my sanity. We organized the way we would work remotely in the week before the lockdown. It is working reasonably well. Everyone took the computers from the office to their homes with the help of the IT staff.
© Marcio Kogan
Could this “makeshift” be transformed into opportunity for planners and designers? And if so how?
Yes. Many architects are designing everything from surgical masks to emergency hospitals. At the school I teach in São Paulo, Escola da Cidade, by a huge coincidence, the main theme of work during the previous semester was related to the end of the world. We seem to have been preparing for this.
Are there new projects born from this particular situation?
Perhaps all the projects that are still in an initial phase already suffer in a subtle way this moment, as always happens in architecture, literature, arts etc.
How do you spend your spare time?
Strolling around the apartment, watching bad news on TV, reading a book by Amos Oz, or watching the Italian series “My Brilliant Friend”.
© Marcio Kogan
Do you have any suggestions for your colleagues and others?
Try to take this moment with ease. There is no other option. Maybe go through a cryogenics process and only wake up in December. I don't believe it will last more than two or three months and remember, the second world war lasted five years. At the end of it all, I'm quite optimistic about what it will be like after all this.
© Marcio Kogan
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Cover image: Marcio Kogan_ph. © Raquel Kogan
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