אדריכלות ישראלית - גיליון 121

2020 מאי 121 אדריכלות ישראלית | השפעת הקורונה על האדריכלות 35 | In order to understand the connection between the Corona pandemic and architecture, onemust first sharpen the difference between germ and virus. While a germ is an autonomous live cell, a virus is a parasite that cannot exist without a hosting cell in order to use its protein to build a protective envelope. However, the fact that they can move, reproduce though a Pilus - a kind of sexual organ, certainly negates the mistaken belief that a virus is not an organic creature. Problematic viruses such as HIV, Papilloma and Corona – have a double layered Capsid - a kind of protective vest of the virus’s sensitive RNA - genetic material made of a single-fiber helix. Approximately 50% of the capsid is made of amphipathic molecules, lipid, (a main component in all biological cell membranes), cholesterol and glycoproteins, by which the virus manages to deceive the hosting cell receptors in order to penetrate it. One of the challenges of the research striving to develop vaccines or antibodies stems from the pace at which the virus’ genetic changes take place, when two viruses penetrate the same hosting cell, exchange genetic information, and actually create a new kind of virus. Viruses are usually able to infect only a particular kind of animal. Thus, dogs are not infected by influenza, and humans are not at risk from FIV, the cat AIDS virus. The problem is that while exchanging genetic information, viruses might acquire receptors that facilitate interaction with various types of animals. A virus (or bacterium) that is transmitted between species (such as Rabies and Foot and Mouth Virus) is known as Zoonosis. Since Covid 19 is a 96% match with the virus genome found in bats, it was suspected that the present pandemic originated from them, inter alia since bats are fertile ground for the development of zoonotic viruses due to their open control immune systems. Similarly to other corona viruses such as SARS and MRS, which originate in bats, and in light of the assumption that in order to create zoonoses transmitted from one animal to another as well as to humans, an agent is required. The most probable assumption is that Covid-19 originated through an agent such as rats, snakes and other “dishes” as a result of poor storage facilities of food products or insufficient cooking – a characteristic trait of Far East markets. In terms of architecture, there are now three main issues under discussion: creating proper conditions for confronting the pandemic, maintaining proper hygiene conditions for treatment, and providing spatial conditions for the isolation required to prevent infection. One of the most meaningful turning points in hospital planning took place during the 40's when research provided at the conclusion that germs are not transmitted by air, but rather by humid agents - drops of saliva or phlegm emitted into the air. A 1934 study on the subject of aerial contagion indicated a direct correlation between the size of the drops, their evaporation and their dropping speed to earth, coming to the conclusion that the smaller the drops the longer they remain in the air, thus eliminating risk of aerial contagion from a distance higher than two meters. Today, thanks to digital technology, these conclusions have changed dramatically and the assumption is that the drops in the air survive for a longer period, and may hover for a distance of at least six meters. At any rate, this distinction led to a significant change in hospital planning, which until then was based on several separate wings (such as the Tel Hashomer military hospital), and from then on allowing the building of multi-storey hospitals such as Beilinson, Hadassah, Shaare Zedek, and many others around the world. Another “superstition”, which by the way, has not yet been negated, was that germs are sensitive to light and therefore reproduce dramatically in dark spaces – which seemed to explain the spread of epidemics in poor, dark and crowded neighborhoods. For safety’s sake, hospitals all over the world were built with large windows, believing that if they don't help, they don't do any harm. Nowadays we know that light may also contribute to improving patients’ moods, something many studies have shown to be an important condition for improving the immune system. One way or another, the key question on the subject of contagion is still whether germs in general and viruses in particular are aerially transmitted. Since the main symptom of the corona virus is pneumonia, the prevailing medical opinion is that the source of infection lies in respiratory drops emitted to the air by sneezing, coughing or even speaking (aloud). As mentioned, these drops sooner or later land on a surface after remaining in the air for anything between several seconds to several minutes, according to their size. The larger the drop, the quicker it falls, so that the splash of a sneeze spreads through the air and moves in the wind for larger distances. Therefore one must distinguish between the structure of its physical content and the air surrounding it. In this respect, while surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected, the mediating air between human beings – between them and their environment, cannot be disinfected without causing more damage than the virus itself. The correlation between field conditions and the risk of infection constitutes a central issue when planning hospitals, where the issue of separating patients from each other, from staff, and the medical equipment requires deep planning consideration. This refers to every architectural facet in contact with people, from walls and floors, to furniture and air conditioners. This problem actually prevails in all institutions, partially in the closed ones - prisons, synagogues, homes for the elderly, hotels, and culture and sports facilities. food for thought spatial versus trans-spatial the impact of corona on architecture Architect Dr. Ami Ran