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This week I’m challenging what spaces for connection mean, sending love to Americans feeling lonely ‘a lot of the time’, and explaining parasocial relationships.

Dare to connect?

Andy

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What does a space for connection look like?

Think of park benches, quiet cars, cubicles, maybe even coffee shops. Whether for solitary reflection, analysis, or work, the use of these spaces often indicates “I want to be alone”.

But what about people looking for the opposite of that? Spaces that indicate, “I want to connect”. What does a space for connection look like?

Note this isn’t about restaurants, nightclubs, and sports clubs. These are essential spaces, but ones we usually visit with others. What I’m getting at here are spaces we would go to for connection. Spaces without an agenda, connection for its own sake.

I admit this may sound cringe to some. Unimaginable to others. But indulge me on this thought experiment, OK? Thanks.

The underlying element making connection possible in our every day lives currently comes down to serendipity. I might have the courage to speak to you at a coffee shop, but whether you want to engage is… well, luck. And I get that.

But… by designing spaces for connection, we could engineer a bit of this serendipity.

I recently discussed this with a friend, who attended a Thursday dating event and deeply enjoyed connecting with strangers at a bar without it being cringe, creepy, or annoying. The difference? Thursday engineered serendipity. Leaving aside the agenda inherent to dating and the expectations around alcohol at bars—that space, for that night, was designed for connection.

See what I’m getting to here? And this is only scratching the surface. Designing spaces for connection in self-sustaining ways requires a lot more work. Thursday can only use and market so many bars in one night. And what if I want to connect on a Wednesday, without the dating agenda? Am I out of options?

Think about it: we all have our preconceptions of what most of the spaces around us are intended for. And they’re seldom intended for connection. Park benches, quiet cars, cubicles… the opposites aren’t lawns, regular cars, or open desks. We have those, and yet we are lonelier than ever. Connection may happen in these spaces, but incidentally so.

In order to engineer serendipity, we need to design entirely new spaces. At Casa Cinco, we’re exploring what this means in cities like London, Madrid, and Milan.

Think neon green ‘connection cars’ on trains, where people connect through stories and fall in love with their commute. Or large, green mats in parks that invite strangers to connect with nature together. Dance parties at sunrise that connect people through movement and music, without the nightclub agenda.   

Spaces like these would simply give people options. Possibilities. Pick the quiet car or the connection car, the park bench or the park mat, the sunrise party or the sunset party. It’s your choice—but there’s one for connection, if you wish for it.

If this sparked any ideas in your beautiful, creative minds—feel free to share. We’d love to feature some of these in upcoming newsletters and posts. Otherwise, I leave you with the question: what does a space for connection look like?

With love,

Andy  

WEEKLY CURATION

PEOPLE

• 😮 1 in 8 Americans fell lonely a lot of the time, skyrocketing Google searches on ‘how to make friends’ and ‘where to meet people’, among others

• 💃 Watch: How great gatherings prioritize connection over perfection, fun and meaning, simplicity, and belonging. Takeaway: intentional gatherings build resilient communities. Available until Oct. 9^th only!

• 🚨 Human connection precedes policy too: "If you offer real solutions, and bring them to people, but you haven’t made them feel like you see them… you won’t build trust”

• 👽 Harvard: What are parasocial relationships, and to these help or harm us? Cristiano Ronaldo and Beyonce don’t really love you back my friend…

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

• 📖 Need a novel? Tell Me Everything ponders on love, knowing oneself, and the beauty and sublime human connection

PLACES

• 🌳 Cities as vibrant, evolving spaces of human connection—not an amalgamation of building and roads

• 🛖 London's Tackling Loneliness hub is back online! Join the cross-sectoral community for professionals working on connection here 

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