09/04/22

Pinterest updates public spaces with community activations

Pinterest’s Havens project turned public parks and spaces in Chigaco’s downtown area into community playgrounds offering free arts events, classes, workouts and more to encourage resident well being.

Communal live and work spaces will be a common fixture of the modern urban environment. They will be especially designed for residents who don't have access to communal space at their apartments. These communal facilities will be located close by and provide shared community amenities. At these accessible and multi-functional spaces, people will find like-minded others through digital networking and meet-ups to discuss topics, share experiences, view movies, or listen to live performances. Never has the personal, psychological experience of space been as important as it will be tomorrow.

New forms of communal living may help foster stronger community bonds and greater efficiencies. The challenge is to make it a shared oasis, and not a fortress. A shared economy does not only mean that people share things; it also means that people will share spaces to a higher degree. Pinterest is leaning into this future living dynamic with its mental health and wellbeing focused Havens activation.

Pinterest’s “Pinners” have long used the social platform for inspiration around emotional wellbeing and overall wellness, tracking fun and new ways to stay positive and take care of themselves. Taking action on ideas from Pinterest and bringing them into the real world is part of Pinterest’s mission, and the brand introduced Havens: Invest in Rest, an online and offline destination exploring the relationship between mental health and rest in Chicago’s downtown.

Pinterest’s first real-life installation is located on Chicago’s South Side in Bronxville. The community programing center and common ground area plays host to guided wellness activities created in partnership with experts at Brainstorm, the Stanford Lab for Mental Health Innovation, as well as with advice and support from Vibrant Emotional Health and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Havens includes an expansive mural painted by local artist Dwight White, and an installation brought to life by designer, Christyna Conway and fabricator, Jai Bradford. The communal area hosts classes, events, and encourages Chicago residents to take a breath and consider how to intentionally nourish their wellbeing through community programming.

+++

This article originally appeared in the PSFK iQ report, The Future of Home and Living.