“I’m happy I have it”: Katrine Kabel explores her recent diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome in her beautiful paintings

The Danish artist uses painting as a means of exploring and better understanding herself.

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Architects lead backlash over park closures and "heavy-handed" policing in London's open spaces

Architects and critics have hit out at threats to close London's parks amid the coronavirus pandemic, with one describing it as "collective punishment".

Brockwell Park in south London was sealed off on Saturday while authorities threatened to shut other open spaces, following concerns about overcrowding and irresponsible behaviour.

"Ridiculous to shut parks," said HAT Projects co-director Hana Loftus on Twitter. "Police being pretty heavy-handed in others, threatening a complete ban. Seems a London thing but the mercury is hitting 20c and going to be warmer over the next week, what are people meant to do?"

"How do you expect people living in overcrowded flats with no outside space to cope?" she added. "Total lack of empathy or simple understanding that not everyone lives in a house with a garden."

Backlash after London park closed

Phineas Harper, former Architecture Foundation director and incoming director of Open City and Open House tweeted: "The cops should be put to work sewing gowns for nurses, not shouting at families in parks."

Harper suggested that many media images purporting to show overcrowded parks were misleading.

Many were shot with a long lens, which "has the effect of compressing perspective, making people who are far apart appear to be almost tripping over each other," he wrote. "Cynical and deceptive."

The Twitter backlash came after Lambeth Council closed the 50-hectare public park in south London after locals flocked there during the warm weather. Other authorities threatened to follow suit.

"Despite clear advice, over 3000 people spent today in Brockwell Park, many of them sunbathing or in large groups," wrote Lambeth Council. "This is unacceptable. Unfortunately, the actions of a minority now means that, following police advice, Brockwell Park will be closed tomorrow."

"Calling everyone who goes to the park #covidiots is wrong"

Edwin Heathcote, architecture critic for the Financial Times, described the move as: "Collective punishment".

"Calling everyone who goes to the park #covidiots is wrong," said Observer critic Rowan Moore. "Most behave well, keep distance. Closing more and more open spaces doesn't seem clever. Is an advanced society incapable of finding ways of letting people outdoors, on condition that they act responsibly?"

"Completely agree," replied Archiboo founder Amanda Baillieu. "We are much safer outside."

Parks are "helping to keep us sane," Baillieu added.

The UK government's coronavirus guidelines allow people to undertake one bout of outdoor exercise each day. They should remain at least two metres away from other people. Visiting parks has not been banned, but concern has been mounting over the numbers of people using open spaces.

UK health secretary Matt Hancock yesterday warned that outdoor exercise would be banned if people continue to flout the guidelines.

Parks in other countries in Europe have already been closed to restrict the spread of coronavirus. In Italy and Spain all public parks have been closed, while major cities including Paris have also closed all parks.

"Astounding levels of aggression and inhumanity out there"

Some observers pointed out that Londoners living in cramped accommodation without gardens or balconies had no option but to venture to public spaces, many of which were originally created for the benefit of the urban poor.

"Don't tell people not to go to parks: improve housing standards!" wrote architecture writer and lecturer Ruth Lang.

Architecture writer Tim Abrahams added: "Most of London's public parks were created to help the working classes live with overcrowding and disease."

"Remarkable how many people – who evidently have plenty of support, no dependents, and lots of outdoor space – are calling on the Government to force parents in flats to lockdown their children 24/7," said Jon Burke, a councillor in Hackney. "Astounding levels of aggression and inhumanity out there."

Concern over access to open space is rising in other cities too, especially as warmer weather approaches in the northern hemisphere.

"Lots of people here have been lobbying to close some streets to cars in dense neighborhoods to allow people to spread out, but that hasn't happened yet," tweeted San Francisco architect Mark Hogan. "People can't be expected to stay in tiny flats for months on end! Especially children!"

Coronavirus movement restrictions in the UK are more relaxed than in many other countries, where curfews and enforced bans on leaving home are in place.

Photography is by Tommy20000.

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“Design a planet saving piece of junk mail” - Adapt’s Weekly Brief

Saving the planet doesn’t have to go on hold during this crisis, here’s a fun way to do your bit from home.

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10 essentials to help you set up your home office

Due to the coronavirus shutdown, many of us are now working from home. Dezeen editor-at-large Amy Frearson picks out 10 furniture and accessory designs to help you set up a home office or workspace, not matter how small your space.

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Rail Wall Desk by Keiji Ashizawa

For those without a whole room to spare, a shelf can create a makeshift desk in a hallway, living room or bedroom. This one, designed by Keiji Ashizawa for Menu, attaches to the wall with a steel bracket, which makes it sturdy and helps to define a workspace.

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Hyg Chair by Simon Legald

Launched earlier this year, the versatile Hyg Chair by Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen is available with legs, a swivel-base, wheels or as a bar stool, so there is one for every possible home office situation. The curved shell seat makes it comfortable enough to work in all day.

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AJ Table Mini by Arne Jacobsen

Legendary Danish designer Arne Jacobsen first designed the AJ Lamp series for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in 1960. To mark its 60th birthday, lighting brand Louis Poulsen is relaunching the desk lamp version, which is well suited to task lighting.

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Relate Side Table by Big-Game

This clever side table by Swiss studio Big-Game for Muuto makes it easier to work while seated on a sofa. You can put a laptop on it, or simply use it as a surface for books or papers.

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Tool Box by Shane Schneck

Although it looks like a tool box, this storage container by Shane Schneck for Hay also makes a great place to store pens and other stationery. For those without a fixed desk in the home, it also makes it easy to move your bits from room to room.

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A-Frame Canteen Desk

Cast aluminium A-frame legs give character to this simple, lightweight desk. With its simple linoleum top, the deck by Very Good & Proper can easily double as a dining table.

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Rookie by Konstantin Grcic

German designer Konstantin Grcic has developed many office furniture designs over the years, including the Allstar chair that features at the Dezeen offices. Rookie for Vitra is one of the simplest – an affordable task chair that offers plenty of comfort.

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W182 Pastille by Industrial Facility

The W182 Pastille creates ambient light rather than focused light, allowing for a better lit workspace. A new version of the lamp for Wastberg, due out in the shops in late 2020, features an integrated USB-C port, so it can charge a MacBook at the same time.

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AAC 121 Soft by Hee Welling

Generous upholstery make this seat by Hee Welling for Hay more comfortable than the average office chair. Its quilted seat is available in a range of fabrics, while a high back offers a good amount of lumbar support.

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2x2 Organiser by Jamie Wolfond

The latest collection of homeware and accessories from Danish brand Ferm Living includes this simple but practical desk tidy. It consists of two pieces of metal, bent to create a pair of stacked trays.

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Daily coronavirus architecture and design briefing: 6 April

Daily coronavirus briefing: today's architecture and design coronavirus briefing includes Apple making face shields, 100 architecture films, and the Hygiene Hand.

Apple to begin design and production of face shields

Apple is the latest company to announce that it will be creating face shields for medical workers. "Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers," tweeted Apple CEO Tim Cook (via Tim Cook's Twitter)

Creative Industries Federation and Crowdfunder launch Pay It Forward campaign

To support creatives in the UK to generate immediate revenue the Creative Industries Federation and Crowdfunder have launch Pay It Forward, a campaign to support creatives. As part of the initiative Crowdfunder is waiving its fees for projects that aim to tackle the impact of the pandemic (via Crowdfunder).

StatGear designs Hygiene Hand to avoid touching surfaces

StatGear, a company founded by a retired New York paramedic, has designed a brass keychain that has a pointer and a hook so that people can reduce the number of surfaces they touch (via Fast Company).

100 architecture films by Jim Stephenson 

Architectural photographer Jim Stephenson has collected 100 short, two to four minute, films about buildings in the UK. The films focus on buildings by Kengo Kuma, Herzog & de Meuron, BIG, Foster & Partners, Grimshaw and many others (via Vimeo).

Designers should "seize the moment" to make positive change says Design Justice author Sasha Costanza-Chock

The coronavirus crisis offers a "great possibility" for community-led change, says MIT associate professor Sasha Costanza-Chock, whose new book Design Justice explores how design can help marginalised communities and promote equality (via Dezeen).

Getty Trust launches $10 million arts relief fund

The Getty Trust has established a $10 million (£8.1 million) fund to aid small and midsize organisations arts in Los Angeles County impacted by the coronavirus pandemic (via Art Forum).

Qatar creates fund for sick construction workers as labour-camps locked down

Qatar has created a $800 million (£650 million) fund to support migrant workers who are impacted by coronavirus as they are unable to work. The news follows the country's largest labour camp, in the Industrial Area of Doha, being put on lockdown (Via Global Construction Review).

Penguin donates books to elderly and isolated

Penguin and Neighbourly.com have partnered to distribute thousands of books to those who are isolated and in need (via Penguin Books Twitter).

Yield designs hand sanitiser to help shortage during Covid-19

Florida design studio Yield is using its production facility to create a spray hand sanitiser to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 (via Dezeen).

ServiceShop helps artists and food banks during crisis

Online print store ServiceShop has been set up to help artists who have lost work due to the pandemic sell their work and participate in mutual aid, with a percentage of the profits donated to food bank charity the Trussell Trust (via ServiceShop).

Dirty Furniture magazine launches design conversation series

Magazine Dirty Furniture has launched an initiative called Named Dirty Furniture Calling that will consist of a series of Zoom calls every Tuesday throughout the pandemic. This Tuesday's call is between Joseph Grima, creative director of Design Academy Eindhoven, and Jan Boelen, head of Social Design at the Design Academy Eindhoven. (via Dirty Furniture).

Keep up with developments by following Dezeen's coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.

For news of impacted events, check Dezeen Events Guide's dedicated coronavirus page.

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