Friendly Research

Objective: Materialize Friendly Culture

Strategic Response: The design starts by identifying the most basic element of building - a wall - and proceeds to manipulate it so that the wall can become a catalyst of Friendlyness. We are products of our environment :) So how to transform a wall to promote Friendlyness, or in other words to promote connection, movement, creativity, and play? First, the wall becomes bright yellow to stand out, dramatically slopes and shifts opacities for more attention, and then has playful openings to further arouse interest and curiosity. Next, the wall delineates space by acting as a social stimulant calling people to the space, but also creating a cute, soft, and safe meditation nook/kissing corner to balance the social focus. Third, the wall serves as the tree trunk for a ton of fitness, creative, and other leisure activities to occur on and branch off of. These design moves culminate in a wall that, rather than divides, connects people! It’s the first move of a longer chess game in making our environments, and our world, friendlier!!

Takeaway: Wow! It is amazing how reimagining our environments can help encourage healthier behavior. The bright colors and novel forms really open people up to playing around. We have coffee down there all the time and instead of sitting people squat or hang or bottom line feel permitted to simply move. Also, we’re reminded of the famous and corny Field of Dreams quote “If you build it, they will come.” Because before FW v001 was there little time was ever spent in that space, and now people are there nearly everyday.