Social Revolution

Cities are getting larger, people are living in closer proximity, disposable income is increasing and digital networks offer new ways to keep us connected. So why are we so lonely? 

Could cities be designed to break the cycle of perceived isolation? Can we design belonging in and loneliness out? Can cities themselves be part of the cure? 

Social Revolution is a radical investigation into architecture and loneliness. Three large plates rotate slowly within a larger accessible platform. Objects and structures come together and move apart. Private spaces slowly become public, solo visitors find themselves part of a group. The shifting surfaces force us to interact and to find common ground. Can we remain isolated if connections literally come to us? 

Designed around a conventional grid, and in its use of volume and section, the installation is pure architecture – with all stuffiness removed. It makes and breaks structural and social connections, and challenges assumptions about what is comfortable.

A testbed for human connection rather than a prototype for the public realm, Social Revolution suggests a new language of design to foster connections and wellbeing. We believe that in order to create healthy cities it’s time for a radical rethink of the urban experience; to move away from development driven by economic growth towards a salutogenic model that acknowledges the significance of the built environment on our mental health, and suggests new ways of designing for a healthy society.