Spatial Collapse: Designing for Emergent Culture

The COVID-19 pandemic spaces has led to a spatial collapse. It may feel like all is lost, but Tricia argues that if we look back to previous moments in history of spatial collapses, we learn that they always produce new ways of thinking that would’ve never been possible before. In each moment, entirely new culture is created. New systems, economies, and tools are born out of the disruption caused by spatial collapse. Pain and creativity are well known bedfellows. Tricia argues that if we want to design services, products, and policies that truly respond to people’s needs, we need to learn how to identify emergent culture. We need to learn how to not rely on outdated data sets. We need to abandon business as usual to thrive in this rapid time of change.