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Damien Hirst creates Butterfly Rainbow artwork to raise money for the NHS during coronavirus crisis
Damien Hirst has created artwork to show support for the NHS

Daily coronavirus architecture and design briefing: 21 April

Daily coronavirus briefing: today's architecture and design coronavirus briefing includes a medical isolation hood, Milan's post-coronavirus plans and rainbow art to raise spirits.

British artists create rainbow art to support the NHS

Damien Hirst has created Butterfly Rainbow for people to download, print and display in their windows to show support for the UK's National Health Service (NHS), while Quentin Blake has made rainbow-themed cards for people to send to loved ones during lockdown (via Damien Hirst and Evening Standard).

Architects help develop patient isolation hood to protect medics

Boston architect Eric Höweler and a team from Harvard's Graduate School of Design have created a plastic dome that fits over a patient's head and shoulders to protect healthcare workers as they treat them (via Dezeen).

London Fashion Week goes digital under lockdown

June's London Fashion Week will go online, with both menswear and womenswear collections displayed in digital showrooms and designers partaking in podcasts, webinars, video interviews and diaries (via Drapers).

Milan plans post-coronavirus cycle routes to reduce pollution

When the streets of Milan reopen after lockdown the local government hopes to stop cars coming back to the city. Up to 22 miles of road will be turned into cycle routes over the summer (via Guardian).

Banksy reveals rodent-themed installation inside his own bathroom

A pack of mischievous rats cause chaos in this installation by graffiti artist Banksy who, like many, is working from home during the coronavirus lockdown (via Dezeen).

Coronavirus could lead to political and economic transformations

Designer Lonneke Gordijn of Studio Drift said the uncertainty caused by the pandemic could lead to a better society.

"How can we use [coronavirus] to transform into a new economic model or a new political model?" Gordijn asked in a video message for Virtual Design Festival. "As a creative community, are already used to unknown situations," she added (via Dezeen).

Interior designers share their lockdown routines

A group of interior designers have shared their routines during lockdown. Frank de Biasi is redesigning his laundry room, Pierre Yovanovitch is shopping online for vintage 20th-century Scandinavian pieces, and Studio KO's Karl Fournier is caring for their three-year-old and drinking wine (via Architectural Digest).

Dutch design studio invents device to catch sneezes 

Raw Color, a design studio based in the Netherlands, has come up with a design hack for helping to stop the spread of coronavirus by encouraging people to wear socks on their elbows to cough into (via Dezeen).

Bompas & Parr launch DIY dining programme

Design studio Bompas & Parr are inviting people to share in their creative food challenges on social media, from making a five-course meal in the bath to dreaming up a cocktail that represents the quarantine experience (via Bompas & Parr).

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.