Social connection: Small talk with strangers for wellbeing
Experts believe that the design of our cities and public spaces often creates barriers to the everyday encounters between people that would be so beneficial for wellbeing. This article examines some of the issues and ideas to encourage conversation and combat loneliness through design. Some solutions require significant changes to urban planning and the built environment. But there are also small-scale interventions that can help.
The idea is to encourage small talk with strangers. It keeps society connected and the mental health benefits of even the briefest conversations can accumulate.
British artist Andy Field has experimented with some ideas and written a book called Encounterism: The Neglected Joys of Being in Person. Increasingly we see initiatives such as chat benches or balance benches in parks, slow check-out lanes or special shopping baskets in supermarkets for those who enjoy a conversation.
Libraries and museums are great places for encounters, and books, objects, and artworks can be good conversation starters. We think there is potential in considering this more actively in the visitor experience to contribute to social connection, one of the 12 dimensions of wellbeing.
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Social connection: Small talk with strangers for wellbeing
Experts believe that the design of our cities and public spaces often creates barriers to the everyday encounters between people that would be so beneficial for wellbeing. This article examines some of the issues and ideas to encourage conversation and combat loneliness through design. Some solutions require significant changes to urban planning and the built environment. But there are also small-scale interventions that can help.
The idea is to encourage small talk with strangers. It keeps society connected and the mental health benefits of even the briefest conversations can accumulate.
British artist Andy Field has experimented with some ideas and written a book called Encounterism: The Neglected Joys of Being in Person. Increasingly we see initiatives such as chat benches or balance benches in parks, slow check-out lanes or special shopping baskets in supermarkets for those who enjoy a conversation.
Libraries and museums are great places for encounters, and books, objects, and artworks can be good conversation starters. We think there is potential in considering this more actively in the visitor experience to contribute to social connection, one of the 12 dimensions of wellbeing.
Interested in more stories like this? Sign up to our monthly newsletter.
Social connection: Small talk with strangers for wellbeing
Experts believe that the design of our cities and public spaces often creates barriers to the everyday encounters between people that would be so beneficial for wellbeing. This article examines some of the issues and ideas to encourage conversation and combat loneliness through design. Some solutions require significant changes to urban planning and the built environment. But there are also small-scale interventions that can help.
The idea is to encourage small talk with strangers. It keeps society connected and the mental health benefits of even the briefest conversations can accumulate.
British artist Andy Field has experimented with some ideas and written a book called Encounterism: The Neglected Joys of Being in Person. Increasingly we see initiatives such as chat benches or balance benches in parks, slow check-out lanes or special shopping baskets in supermarkets for those who enjoy a conversation.
Libraries and museums are great places for encounters, and books, objects, and artworks can be good conversation starters. We think there is potential in considering this more actively in the visitor experience to contribute to social connection, one of the 12 dimensions of wellbeing.
Interested in more stories like this? Sign up to our monthly newsletter.
