Page 13 - Designing Ways 244

South African social distancing solutions
achieve success internationally

or the foreseeable future, social
distancing will remain on the
Fmenu for the restaurant trade.
The challenge this presents for sit-down
establishments who want to create
superlative experiences for diners while
adhering to health and safety regulations,
calls for innovative thinking.
Nando’s Design Programme Creative
Director and the founder of Studio Lee
Lynch, Tracy Lynch, perceived that social
distancing requirements presented an
opportunity to engage with designers
to find solutions. So, at the start of the
global Coronavirus lockdowns in 2020,
she began working on a series of screens
and furniture accessories that would not
only serve to make social distancing a bit
more intuitive, but would also provide Screen by Dokter and Misses
as enriching an aesthetic experience as
possible. distancing products having been sold not observing the necessary distancing,
These designs were included in there to date, amounting to a total spend the table-blocker screens were soon joined
the Nando’s Portal to Africa - https:// of R7 456 827,82. It also received a Bronze by an entire collection of social distancing
bepartofmore.com/public/products - and Loerie at the 2020 Loerie Awards in South products, including bollards for queues,
made available to purchase by over 2 500 Africa. contact-free hand sanitizing units with
Nando’s restaurants across the globe. Over The first range that emerged from foot pedals, and seat-stoppers that clearly
the past five years, together with Nando’s Lynch’s design process is a range of “table- indicate which restaurant seats can’t be
Property Director, Michael Spinks, and blocker” screens used to create distance utilised. From the moment customers
with the full support of Nando’s, Lynch when customers are sharing a table, or walk in until they leave, this array of
and her team developed the Portal to to completely block off certain areas. solutions takes a holistic look at the
Africa as an online marketplace that These screens are festooned with lively restaurant space, considering all aspects
connects South African designer-makers patterns drawn from the motifs created of the experience, such as conscious and
to interior designers working on Nando’s by the 10 finalists of the 2018 Nando’s Hot careful ways of using condiment stations,
restaurants around the world. Young Designer (HYD) Talent Search through to queuing and paying at the
Thus far, the project has been incredibly competition. cashier.
well received in the international area. “To make it more interactive and to The full catalogue of social distancing
This is especially the case in the United bring home the Nando’s experience, I items was created together with South
Kingdom (UK), with over 7000 social created an opportunity to showcase our African designers such as Dokter and
Nando’s Hot Young Designers’ patterns. Misses, Pedersen and Lennard and The
This way, the young designers also get to Urbanative. Happily, the new range is
earn a licensing fee for the use of their available both to Nando’s restaurants,
work,” Lynch explains. and to any other establishments who are
And when the screens are not interested in purchasing these sensitive
emblazoned with bold patterns, they and attractive solutions to ensure the
showcase artworks created by artists safety of their customers.
who are part of the Spier Arts Creative The Social Distancing range brings
Block project. “At the same time as we are South African ingenuity, creativity and
practising social distancing by creating a design thinking a bit closer to restaurant
practical solution, we’re also supporting patrons around the world, as they keep
creativity and showcasing beauty,” Lynch the necessary distance from each other.
expands. dw
Because there are many instances where www.clout-sadesign.co.za
restaurant patrons might find themselves
Table Blocker by Naturalis with pattern by
HYD finalist Zinhle Sithebe

dw • Issue 244 13