OAKLAND, CA—In these unprecedented times, consumers are looking for convenient and safe access to groceries. Architects can help by developing design strategies to maintain the health, safety and wellness of consumers and workers, says Eric Price, commercial studio director for Lowney Architecture.

Safety starts with the programmatic separation of the store's service areas to maintain consumers' and workers' health, safety and wellness. The most prominent areas that require separation are waste and recycling spaces and the freight docks. Ideally, these areas should be out of sight from the public to maintain the store's design aesthetics and contain any possible hazards. The shifting of products at any scale requires an isolated area that prohibits consumers from crossing paths with boxes, spills or other potential risks, Price points out.

"Maintaining awareness of the consumer's physical reach is critical to the design of a grocery store," Price tells GlobeSt.com. "Even as COVID changes the way people think and their daily habits, many people still reach out to physically touch things, from picking a ripe avocado to reading the nutritional information on the back of a box. Products need to be within reasonable reach and lineal-display areas can be increased to make items more accessible and avoid unnecessary handling of products. It is also essential to have products in clear sight so that they can be inspected visually rather than physically to avoid unnecessary handling. Prominent signage to navigate shoppers throughout the store maximizes sales and allows the shopper to make sure they don't miss anything that isn't on their list, resulting in shoppers getting in and out of the store as quickly as possible."