If this new and exceptional pandemic situation shows us anything, it is that adversity makes us work more united and stronger than ever. We seek to contribute, to the best of our ability, to improving the situation, or at least to trying not to make it worse. The coronavirus has not only resulted in infections, but also a cascade of laudable ideas and initiatives that seek the common benefit; In the face of adversity, we sharpen our spirits. The team of Valencian architects Mano de Santo obtained the “eureka” after having checked the difficulties and antics in certain stores to open the doors without putting their hands in direct contact with the handles.
In Mano de Santo, they looked for a shortcut to solve this problem. Thus was born the proposal of certain protectors that are incorporated in the door handles, so that to open them we stop using our hands and use the forearm or the elbow. Your name; Hands in the air. It’s an accordion-shaped design that, with cardboard and scissors, anyone can reproduce from home. For that, they shared the project in open source form, where they present the design model, accompanied by videos and sketches. These protectors that can now be made from cardboard can also be made from other materials when the production system is standardized.
The goal, they say, is to get this idea to reach as many people as possible, regardless of the country. “It is an object specially designed for the de-escalation process we are entering, designed to take care of ourselves and others. A small gesture, a small contribution which, on the other hand, can help to improve the situation. We believe actions like this will play a fundamental role at this time. Door handles, especially in hospitals and health centers, but also in any workplace, hotel, gate or store, are elements that support a large traffic of people, with the consequent contact of many hands throughout. throughout the day. If we continue to use them as before, they can become potentially dangerous sources of contagion and, therefore, promote an increase in the number of cases.“. Another example of how design seeks to improve every day every day.
With this idea, this Valencian architectural team does not seek to obtain any economic advantage. “We don’t want to gain anything from our design. In this context, we felt handicapped, and we wanted to be useful by creating something that would reach as many people as possible and that could have a positive impact. Plus, we knew there was a need to design something that anyone could replicate with the resources we currently have.”, They say of Mano de Santo.
They say that “We investigated and found that there were few industrialized products of this type which, given the current production and demand situation, were difficult to access. In our opinion, opening doors with the elbow or forearm, without bringing the hands into contact with the grip surfaces, has become a pressing need in this context. We needed an immediate solution, and Hands Up is the result“.
However, in Mano de Santo they are not closed to their design being reproduced by companies or workshops that can develop and distribute it in a very agile way once they have resumed their activity. “Our proposal is something temporary and disposable, a quick shortcut that we took looking at the network of materials and resources at our disposal.“.
In the dissemination of this project and given the relationship between the two teams, collaborates CTC communication (formerly Consuelo Torres Comunicación) so that this solution reaches society in a selfless way.
Design respectful of nature for all audiences.
The Mano de Santo is a one hundred percent proposition do it yourself. Easy, ecological and reusable materials that we can all find at home. For the design of Hands Up, any cardboard container is worth us, from the box of cookies, cereal, detergent, beers, to the boxes of orders that we receive these days.
The creation process is more than simple. We draw the template on a piece of cardboard, cut the edges and holes through which the door handle will pass, and then bend to the indicated vertices, thus obtaining the shape of an accordion. Nothing more. They advise that, after incorporating the design in the handle, a rubber band is placed as a stopper, to prevent any displacement. Here you will find all the information, step by step, to create your own Hands in the air.
The current prototype has cardboard as the protagonist, “However, in the future when other industries get back on track, we believe it could be done in other materials as well, and can even be customized.”, They say of Mano de Santo. They only set one condition: “We want companies that take the idea and develop it to donate a percentage of their production to health centers, nursing homes or any other public service space.“.
Mano de Santo wishes to encourage all those who reproduce their creations to share them with them, by tagging them on their social networks (Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn).
Photos Mano de Santo ®. All rights reserved)
