353 Futurebus

Date: August 2020
Designed by: Ryan Teo & Co
Credit: Northwestern University

The COVID-19 pandemic has many reconsidering how they navigate their cities. Futurebus, the winner of Shanghai Jiao Tong School of Design’s FourC Challenge, reimagines public transport for the post-COVID age.

The bus features a single sliding door which makes up the entire length of the bus. This door design allows passengers to enter and exit the bus freely and with minimal contact. The seating is made of anti-microbial copper-infused material and alternates direction in order to provide a barrier between riders. Crucially, the design tackles the issue of contact with handlebars through their innovative use of rotating disposable plastic wrap. Each stainless steel handle is covered in said wrap which makes a 360-degree turn every time the bus stops, allowing the surface of the handle to be sterilised by a UV light strip.

“We got our inspiration from the dandelion flower,” said Ryan Teo, who studies product design, engineering and anthropology as part of the McCormick Integrated Engineering programme. “The dandelion opens its petals widely, allowing its seeds to be dispersed freely. We wanted to give passengers that same freedom of movement to minimise contact.”