Toward a healthy home: investigating food flow and the shift in domestic spatial practice during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the shift in domestic spatial practice triggered by the flow of food during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, it argues that the change of food flow due to the need for physical distancing throughout the pandemic resulted in the changing patterns of everyday practice concerning consumption, sourcing, and preparation. Such changes could be observed in the spatial arrangement of the domestic sphere, where the food flow is intertwined with cleaning protocols. This paper studies domestic food flow and its spatial arrangement during the first month of physical distancing in Greater Jakarta, a region with the most confirmed case of COVID-19 in Indonesia. Mappings of the food flow are constructed based on interviews with 15 urban domestic households and complemented by the photographs of domestic food practices. The interrupted and prolonged flow of food generated three patterns of circulation and localization of dirt in certain areas of the house: the clean, the dirty, and the in-between, including the re-appropriation of outdoor space. The understanding of these patterns highlights the importance of spatial practice when dealing with new health threats, thereby expanding the idea of a healthy home.

KEYWORDS:

• Flow of food
• spatial practice
• domestic
• pandemic
• healthy home

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research is supported by Penelitian Dasar Ristekdikti 2020 under Grant Number: NKB-69/UN2.RST/HKP.05.00/2020, a research grant provided by The Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education of Republic Indonesia; Directorate Research and Community Services, Directorate General of Research Development, Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education of Republic Indonesia [NKB-69/UN2.RST/HKP.05.00/2020]

Notes on contributors

Rini Suryantini

Rini Suryantini is a lecturer at Universitas Indonesia since 2011. She obtained her MSc in Regional/Spatial Science from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Universitaet Karlsruhe (TH)). She is currently pursuing her doctoral study in architecture at Universitas Indonesia. Her research interests are on domestic practices related to ecological architecture and environment, especially in a vernacular context. She engages in community engagement projects with various communities, from public institutions, urban moms, river community and school communities, promoting a sustainable environment.

Paramita Atmodiwirjo

Paramita Atmodiwirjo is a professor of architecture at Universitas Indonesia. She obtained her PhD in Architecture and Master of Architectural Studies from the University of Sheffield, and MA in Education (Teaching and Learning) from the University of Bath. Her research interests are in the relationship between architecture, interior and the users’ behavior, and the development of creative learning methods for architectural education. She has been awarded the FuturArc Green Leadership Award 2019, Holcim Awards Asia Pacific 2011, Teaching Excellence Award 2014, and IAI Jakarta Award 2012.

Yandi Andri Yatmo

Yandi Andri Yatmo is a professor of architecture at Universitas Indonesia. He obtained his PhD in Architecture, Master of Architecture and Postgraduate Diploma in Architecture from the University of Sheffield. His current works are primarily on design theories and methods and their relevance to design practice. He was awarded the FuturArc Green Leadership Award 2019, Holcim Award Asia Pacific 2011, National Lecturer Award in 2012, IAI Jakarta Award 2012, and numerous design competition prizes at national and international levels. He is the former chair of Association of Architecture Higher Education in Indonesia (APTARI) and the leader of architectural design research cluster at Universitas Indonesia.