A social space is a gathering place where people gather and interact. It can be physical or virtual, like social media platforms. In physical social spaces there is usually a 4-12 feet distance between acquaintances. Some examples of social spaces are public places, such as town squares or parks, and others are privately owned and regulated, such as pubs and shopping malls.
Social spaces are used by various communities to conduct different types of social interaction, and it assigns appropriate places to different social relations. They can be used to implement a social cohesion in communities. As a result, the term spans greater than the dichotomy of public and private space.
Social space is perceived and adjusted depending on the situation and the level of friendship and/or understanding between people. A social spacing of 0’-4’ (0-1.22 m) between people would be considered too close. The most comfortable social spacing is typically in the range of 4’-7’ (1.22-2.13 m), while a distance of 7’-12’ (2.13-3.66 m) feels too far for social interactions.
Social space is perceived and adjusted depending on the situation and the level of friendship and/or understanding between people. A social spacing of 0’-4’ (0-1.22 m) between people would be considered too close. The most comfortable social spacing is typically in the range of 4’-7’ (1.22-2.13 m), while a distance of 7’-12’ (2.13-3.66 m) feels too far for social interactions.
Social Space (Close): 0’-4’ | 0-1.22 m
Social Space (Comfortable): 4’-7’ | 1.22-2.13 m
Social Space (Far): 7’-12’ | 2.13-3.66 m
Drawings include:
Human Spacing - Social Space diagrammatic side elevation
Coughing can be a symptom of a positive respiratory infection. While everyone coughs to clear their throat from time to time, persistent coughing should be monitored with guidance from a healthcare provider to ensure others don’t get sick. When coughing, you should cough into your elbow, immediately wash your hands, avoid touching your face, and refrain from sharing eating utensils with others.
Drawings include:
Men Coughing Into Elbow (Standing) front elevations
Personal space is the physical distance immediately surrounding someone where any infringement of this space feels uncomfortable. This distance can vary from one person to another depending on the relationship between the people. Invasions of personal space can come from physical violations, and also from the sensory domain like noise pollution; the latter can be equally troubling.
Personal space varies depending on the situation and the interaction. A spacing of 0”-18” (0-45.7 cm) between people is often considered as being an intrusion of personal space, while a distance of 18”-30” (45.7-76.2 cm) is typically a comfortable zone for maintaining personal space. Being in the zone of 30”-48” (76.2-121.9 cm) apart is on the upper range of a personal distance.
Personal space varies depending on the situation and the interaction. A spacing of 0”-18” (0-45.7 cm) between people is often considered as being an intrusion of personal space, while a distance of 18”-30” (45.7-76.2 cm) is typically a comfortable zone for maintaining personal space. Being in the zone of 30”-48” (76.2-121.9 cm) apart is on the upper range of a personal distance.
Personal Space (Close): 0”-18” | 0-45.7 cm
Personal Space (Comfortable): 18”-30” | 45.7-76.2 cm
Personal Space (Far): 30”-48” | 76.2-121.9 cm
Drawings include:
Human Spacing - Personal Space diagrammatic side elevation
A disease outbreak occurs when infections are in excess of normal expectancy. In outbreaks that are spread from person to person through respiratory droplets, such as the coronavirus, wearing a cloth face covering in public settings helps to slow the spread. Protective masks should be worn in grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations, and pregnant mothers should take extra precautions, as they are at a greater risk of getting sick from respiratory viruses.
Drawings include:
Women Protective Masks (Standing) front elevations (detail), side (detail)
Cleaning a surface with soap and water reduces the overall amount of germs, and spraying that surface with a disinfectant kills the remaining germs. The CDC recommend the use of an EPA-registered household disinfectant. High touch surfaces like tables, doorknobs, light switches, faucets, toilets, and sinks should be routinely cleaned and disinfected.
Drawings include:
Disinfection Workers Spraying assorted elevations (detail)