Keep the Virus Outside

Name: Nextatlas
Author: Nextatlas

Nextatlas x CILab x Politecnico di Milano

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In collaboration with Politecnico di Milano and Creative Industries Lab, this report explores how design can lead the way in a post-pandemic world.

Drawing on emerging consumer trends and expert insight from the webinar we conducted with Francesco Zurlo, Daniela Maurer, and Xue Pei, it maps the macro shifts reshaping how people expect to move, interact, and feel safe and what that means for brands.

Key themes include the rise of tech-enhanced hygiene solutions, the mainstreaming of touch-free experiences, and the growing urgency around mental health and consumer anxiety. Together, they point to a new design agenda: one where safety, sustainability, and human relevance are no longer optional extras, but the baseline for relevance.

Key Insights
What's inside

People start to face this crisis through finding their own approaches and rules to stay safe.
There is a growing interest in technologically enhanced solutions that are proven to eliminate any biological threats at a microscopic level.
Touch-free devices benefit not only people who are afraid of germs, but also those with disabilities, injuries, or busy hands (i.e. holding books, groceries, children).
Prolonged safety concerns and uncertainties have contributed to a consistent rise in anxiety, stress, and mental health struggles.

A synthesis of the phenomena defining how the collective sense of safety is changing
Macrotrends, Best Practices, and Brand Cases forecasting the way people will live in their public and private environments
Significant key data from the analysis of each trend
Design Opportunities to guide brands forward
How the New Normal and emerging needs will impact homes and a host of other spaces