Good answers to questions posed by the pandemic

TEXT Imke Borchers and Miriam Holzapfel

The old hypothesis that every crisis brings opportunities has rarely been truer than today: across our planet, people are rising to the challenges of Covid-19 – with inge nuity, pragmatism and fresh ideas. This applies to innovations in our work and home life, to developments in the public domain, and to our personal growth.

Some innovations will soon be forgotten when events or the zeitgeist change. But other ideas may well outlast the pandemic.

The self-sufficient city

Urban planners are responding to the pandemic in their own ways. The Barcelona-based firm Guallart Architects won a competition to design the new city of Xiong’an near the Chinese capital of Beijing – as a self-sufficient entity based on a biocycle economy. President Xi hopes it will become the new standard for the post-Covid era. In addition to residential units, the proposed design also foresees shared co-working spaces. These will come equipped with 3D printers which can be deployed to produce spare parts or components delayed in supply chains. Greenhouses and vegetable beds will provide sufficient fresh foodstuffs, while power will be generated by roof-mounted solar panels. The roads are to be reserved for pedestrians and cyclists. What is more, the city’s residents will be continuously connected via a 5G network, enabling them to share information about potential quarantines, infections and other developments. guallart.com

Face to face

“I’ve reinvented myself several times during my lifetime. Like when I moved to Hamburg 20 years ago to learn acting. Before that, I had studied psychology for a couple of years. Or when I suddenly found myself managing a cookhouse and organizing interdisciplinary art events. So maybe it’s no real surprise that now I’m reorienting again and training to be a systemic coach. The Corona crisis made this decision more urgent. When the pandemic began, my acting gigs disappeared. During the weeks of lockdown, I realized that I didn’t only want to communicate with people from a screen. I wanted to engage with them directly, eye to eye. I also came to appreciate how transient everything is. Coronavirus changed the world overnight. So why wait, why keep postponing your most exciting ideas? I’m asking myself the selfsame questions at the moment, as I make plans for a hiking vacation in Bavaria with my seven-year-old son. It will be just the two of us. I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t bear looking back and thinking: I really wish I had done that back then.” Elke Jochmann, actress Reported by: Carola Hoffmeister

Committed to protecting the environment

“I doubt I would have given up my job as an IT specialist, at least of my own volition. I’ve been with Boeing for more than 19 years, first in Brussels, now in Madrid. I’m in my mid-50s with a family, so I have a stronger need for security. But after the initial shock of losing my job through the pandemic, I realized it was also a huge opportunity. Work was no longer really a challenge, especially during the past few years. Now I can’t help but ask myself the ultimate question. What else do I want to do with my life? How should I be using the time left to me? I have always wanted to do something with the cultural impressions I’ve gained traveling and living with Native Americans – to create something that would benefit others. To build my legacy to the world. I might start working for an NGO and devote my energies to protecting the environment. Or pick up on what I learned during my MBA studies and use my language skills somewhere. How many people speak five languages fluently, as I do? The options sometimes make my head spin. Then again, I’ve always been an optimist and I’m looking forward to pursuing something new!” Dieter Herrmann, IT specialist Reported by: Carola Hoffmeister

Top styling on top

Sisters Vicky and Nikoleta Lirantonakis from Boston, Massachusetts, usually run a clothingrental business. But when the lockdown descended, eveningwear became redundant overnight. Nowadays, people are more likely to

be seen on video conferences than at gala events. In the United States, for example, almost half of all employees worked remotely in June. But, according to one study, only three percent donned clothes they would have worn to work. So the sisters promptly closed their rental service and adopted a new business model. Under the name “The Style Filos” (from the Greek word for friend, “philos”), they have been selling individually configured jewelry and accessory sets since the summer. Their mini-collections include scarves, earrings, necklaces, and make-up – everything needed for a professional appearance on computer monitors. Only, of course, for wear from the waist up. After all, talking heads don’t need skirts and shoes. thestylefilos.com

Product range expanded

“The pandemic taught me that you can never know what to expect in life. At the beginning, our company felt the full force of the crisis. We mainly supply restaurants and industrial kitchens with liquor, soups, sauces, vinegar, oil and the like. As a result of the lockdown, our order intake plunged and we needed some fast solutions. We hit upon the idea of producing disinfectant instead of liquor. We still do most of our business with high-quality Austrian foodstuffs and beverages, but we also managed to get official approval for the plan thanks to emergency government regulations. That said, we had a lot to learn – like how much we could deliver without declaring the goods as hazardous. My entire team rolled up their sleeves. From our top management down to the staff on the factory floor, everyone happily got their hands dirty. That forged a bond between us all and filled me with pride. We learned a great deal during this period and acquired brand new customers. From hairdressers and pharmacists through to our stationery supplier: everybody wanted disinfectant.” Markus Pfarrhofer, Managing Director of Nannerl, based in Anthering near Salzburg, nannerl.at Reported by: Claudia Saltuari

Glamourös ist das neue Rustikal Das Reisen während einer Pandemie ist kompliziert, gleichwohl sind die Bedürfnisse nach Erholung bei vielen größer denn je. Der Mensch drängt hinaus – doch wohin? Er will an die Luft – doch wie? Wo Nähe zur Natur früher mit Verzicht auf Komfort einhergehen musste, versöhnt heute »Glamping« die Sehnsucht nach Einfachheit mit dem Bedürfnis nach Verwöhnung. Glamour und Camping – best of both worlds, sozusagen. Ein gutes Mückenspray empfiehlt sich aber nach wie vor.

Glam is the new rustic

Traveling during a pandemic is onerous, but the craving for fun and adventure often greater. People are desperate to get away, but where to? They yearn to escape to the Great Outdoors – but how? In the old days, nature was all but synonymous with discomfort. Today “glamping” has removed the sacrifice from simplicity with its combination of countryside and convenience. Glamour and camping – the best of both worlds, so to speak. Don’t forget your bug spray, though. When you feel like a bite, the mosquitos might well too.