The term "social distance" was once only a vague metaphor to describe the relationship between different social groups. It has now acquired a precise meaning as the mandatory minimum distance for face-to-face interactions. But what is the appropriate distance from which to interpret a pandemic? Rather than asserting a diagnosis of the contemporary emergency, Social Distance offers perspectives from architectural history and theory. From the great plague of Venice to cholera in the industrializing city, from the human placenta to the office of today, this work provides a broad range of reflections on contagion, disease, and health.