Need to Know
10 : 09 : 20

By Sophie Boldog, Savannah Scott and Abi Buller

A mall that puts community wellbeing first, Facebook’s new app pays homage to early internet aesthetics, and Britons would rather type than talk.

In today's news:

The Commons mall prioritises urban wellness

A lightbulb moment for anti-viral technology

Facebook’s E.gg is a platform for creative self-expression

Stat: Britons choose texts over real-life conversation

The Commons mall prioritises urban wellness

The Commons Saladaeng, Bangkok

Bangkok – The Commons’ new mall in Saladaeng is a hyper-local lifestyle hub that invites city dwellers to decelerate.

For this latest venue, the studio behind the space, Department of Architecture, has focused on the wellbeing of the local community. Split into three areas – The Ground, The Market and The Platform – more than 30% is open-air public space for Saladaeng residents to enjoy. The downstairs Ground area features industrial fans, plants and seating that are modular, allowing visitors to enjoy activities, music performances and relax away from the bustle of Bangkok.

Upstairs, The Platform offers space for a range of enriching activities to help the community unwind. Divided up by time slots, the community can apply to use The Platform to practise yoga, listen to jazz, participate in art and dance workshops, and more. 'The Platform is a new concept space adopting the sharing economy approach as a driving force for the space,’ says a statement from Department of Architecture.

People living in densely populated cities are seeking spaces that allow them to take a breather and connect with others. Our Urban Wellness Market explores how city planners and urban developers are responding to this need.

A lightbulb moment for anti-viral technology

Integralis by Artemide, Italy

Italy – Lighting brand Artemide's ultraviolet technology is transforming interior lighting into a whole-space sanitiser.

Its Integralis system can be fitted into new light fixtures and is controllable via an app. This functionality enables the light to emit regular, natural light frequencies when a room is occupied, and a germ-fighting invisible UV spectrum when the room is vacant.

‘In the presence of people, emission frequencies and doses of energy that are not harmful to the eyes and skin can be used, which nonetheless act to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mould and fungi,’ explains Carlotta de Bevilacqua, CEO at Artemide. ‘The light acts mainly on surfaces but, in reality, it acts on everything it encounters in its path such as particles suspended in the air.’

Such innovations have the opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing in both the home, and public workspaces. As we identify in Pandemic–proof Properties, future buildings will increasingly integrate technologies that bring hygiene to the fore.

Facebook’s E.gg is a platform for creative self-expression

Global – E.gg is a new platform in the works from Facebook that encourages unpolished creativity in the digital realm.

Introduced by the social media giant’s New Product Experimentation (NPE) team, the E.gg platform plays tribute to early internet aesthetics, letting users create zine-style canvasses using layered text, pictures and GIFs dedicated to the things they love.

By removing 'like' counts and comments, E.gg aims to provide a low-pressure space where creativity is the solitary reward, allowing users’ experimentation, self-expression and positive interactions to flourish.

‘Our hope is that, over time, E.gg will grow ever-close to realising these ideals, and in that process carve out a small pocket in which that raw and wondrous ethos of the early internet might again find itself a bit of breathing room,’ reads a statement.

Now in beta stage, people are able to join the waiting list to be among the first to test the platform. For more on how social media use is evolving beyond self-promotion and glossy performances, explore our youth macrotrend Paradox Personas.

E.gg by Facebook

Stat: Britons choose texts over real-life conversation

Paper phone by Google

Research by YouGov reveals that more that half of Britons (55%) prefer texting to speaking on the phone.

Among study participants, fewer than a third (31%) savour the sound of someone’s voice over the written word. The age of study respondents is a key factor; 72% of Britons aged 18–39 prefer texts, compared with 61% of Generation X and 35% of Baby Boomers. Considering the reasons for this, participants stated weaknesses in social skills, verbal communication and concentration span, and a dislike of confrontation.

While the global pandemic and lockdown periods have enforced greater reliance on video technology for people to connect with friends and family, the medium of text-based communication remains convenient and appealing to many. For more on how technology is being relied on to maintain personal connections, explore our Neo-kinship macrotrend, in which we identify what and how brands can learn from families’ interpersonal, tech-driven relationships.