We are progress

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"Progress is not inevitable, but it is happening. It is not transparent, but it is visible. It is not safe, but it is beneficial. It is not linear, but it is directional. It is not controllable, but it is us. In fact, it is nothing but us." - Ada Palmer

A notebook about how we work, learn, love and live.

In a thoughtful article on progress as historians frame it, Ada Palmer defines one approach based on "teleology", the assumption that "human societies have always been developing toward some pre-set end state: apple seeds into apple trees, humans into enlightened humans, human societies into liberal democratic paradises."

From a teleological point of view it is pretty difficult to argue that we are making clear progress. But it is similarly impossible not to name ways that we are making improvements in our understanding of our world, ourselves and each other.

Here's a few examples I found this week.

Happy Friday.

Civics, Libraries
Imagining the library of the future

Dubbed Nest, this concept imagines a new space in a near-future world where humans and artificial intelligence have established a mutualistic, long-term creative partnership. The space includes a collaborative terrace, virtual reality experience space, and studios for film, photography, art, and music.

The brief challenged participants to re-imagine civic space in the form of a library in the year 2049. The assigned site was the main public library of San Francisco, which was built in 1996 and sits adjacent to City Hall. "Already, public libraries have had to adapt to the age of the internet and the changing habits of staff and visitors," said the invitation, "transforming from passive collections of books to active zones for collaboration and creation. What other changes could we see in the next 25 years?"

The winning entry was called Nest. Winning architects, Perkins&Will, described it this way: "Architecturally, the new building is defined by a unifying timber roof and hanging canopy with catwalks linking together workspaces. Beyond being a natural extension of the existing library, Nest is an idea incubator, designed to host sophisticated tools like artificial intelligence that will be used by citizens to create solutions of the future."

Other concepts included a farmer’s market in the shadow of a vertical urban farm that harvests rainwater to grow food, and a meditative sanctuary that offers respite from AI-accelerated information overload.

Article: Winners of Perkins&Will’s 2024 Phil Freelon Design Competition Imagine the Civic Library of 2049

Habitat, Neuroarchitecture
"Architecture is not merely the backdrop to our lives, but a crucial determinant of how we live and thrive."

Well designed space feels good to both body and mind. The Kent, Washington YMCA. Miller Hayashi Architects

"Many of us have felt the effects of being in different built environments. Yet what this means for our health and wellbeing hasn’t received enough research attention. How do the offices, houses, hospitals, schools, neighbourhoods and spaces that we occupy day to day affect our health?"

"Enter the emerging field of neuroarchitecture – an interdisciplinary domain that explores how the built environment affects human brain function, behaviour, cognition and psychology. Initial research indicates that, beyond its influence on infectious diseases, architectural design and form might also actively contribute to increased levels of stress in the body, which in turn could increase the risk of so-called noncommunicable diseases (often referred to as ‘lifestyle diseases’), including neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, depression and anxiety.

"A better understanding of how the built environment impacts our health in these ways could revolutionise building design and urban planning. Imagine being able to design spaces that not only don’t cause harm, but actually promote overall wellbeing." - Cleo Valentine

Article: How The Buildings You Occupy Might Be Affecting Your Brain

Learning, Systems Thinking
"Knowledge must often molder in our mental warehouses for decades until we figure out what to do with it."

"Leslie Valiant...calls our ability to learn over the long term 'educability,' and in his new book, “The Importance of Being Educable,” he argues that it’s key to our success. When we think about what makes our minds special, we tend to focus on intelligence. But if we want to grasp reality in all its complexity, Valiant writes, then 'cleverness is not enough.' We need to build capacious and flexible theories about the world—theories that will serve us in new, unanticipated, and strange circumstances—and we do that by gathering diverse kinds of knowledge, often in a slow, additive, serendipitous way, and knitting them together. Through this process, we acquire systems of beliefs that are broader and richer than the ones we can create through direct personal experience." - Joshua Rothman

Book Review: What Does It Really Mean to Learn?

Habitat, Workspace
New offices, new options

Neulandia is building residences and work hubs for remote workers in rural Germany. The organization designs communities around integrated coliving and coworking facilities.

"As businesses exit or pare down traditional offices, where are remote workers logging in from? New options prove that the possibilities go beyond the coffee shop. From fresh 'third spaces' cropping up in the nooks of major cities to forward-thinking clubs and communities that inspire employees to exit urban centers, here’s where people are working from today." - Lauren Volker

Article: Four New Types of Coworking Spaces for the Remote Work Revolution

Teaching, Schools
Teaching kids to express themselves in order to make change

Where My Bus At (The Bus Song) is a rap video written, performed and produced by The Real Young Prodigys. The work brings attention to the urgent transportation issues that are affecting students in Louisville, KY.

"Hiphop N2 Learning was founded to empower African-American youth and young adults by providing a platform for hip hop, music videos, and travel to foster positive changes locally, statewide, federally, and globally. With a mission to use the knowledge of Black youth to educate and influence positive change through self-awareness and self-expression, HHN2L has mentored over 130 students and 50 TRYP members using the 9 Elements of Hip Hop. Their vision is to leverage Hip Hop Culture to create structural changes benefiting Black and Brown youth. HHN2L offers a safe space for young people (ages 8 to 21) to develop talents and gain experience in music and performing arts through four pillars: Hip Hop-Based Education, Music Creation, Career Development, and Advocacy. These pillars ensure systemic change for students, their peers, families, and vulnerable populations." - The Real Young Prodigys

Article: Hip Hop Program Helping Louisville Teens Find Voices, Spark Change

Article: Students Call Out Louisville School Bus Cuts In Rap Song 'Where My Bus At' Amid National Driver Shortage

Company, Brand
The power of minimalist branding and visual identity

"Srch, a boutique executive recruiting agency, emphasizes simplicity and results, steering clear of the excesses often associated with larger firms. This philosophy is reflected in every aspect of their brand.

"Studio Mast collaborated closely with Srch founder Tighe Burke to develop a no-nonsense identity that cuts through market clutter. The brand's name itself, reduced to its essential elements, reflects this ethos. The design employs a straightforward, type-driven approach, allowing typography, color, and copywriting to convey the brand's core message." - adz.do

Article: Bold Branding and Visual Identity: Srch by Studio Mast

Communications, Packaging
Eco-friendly packaging solutions would remove a large amount of waste from landfills and places where those materials become litter, like the oceans.

"Eco-friendly packaging solutions are shipment materials that don’t produce environmental waste during manufacturing or after arriving at consumers’ doorsteps. Enough global companies use them that the eco-friendly packaging industry is worth $292.71 billion and will continue to grow through 2029. As long as consumers can place orders online or in stores, packaging materials will be necessary for every business sector.

"Companies may switch to plant-based packaging for various business reasons, but consumer demand is among the most crucial. Experts estimate that 60%-70% of consumers will pay more for green shipping materials. They may opt for green, eco-friendly packaging due to their sustainable lifestyles or general concern for the planet’s well-being." - Mia Barnes

Article: Plant-Based Packaging 101: Exploring The Sustainability Benefits

One-liners

Article: Burning Man is now attended by more women than men.

Article: In Denmark, a multiyear study of 2 million people aged 60 and over found that fully 11% of dementia diagnoses could be attributed to roadway noise.

Article: Lego plans to make all its bricks from renewable, recycled materials by 2032.

Article: Three months after an 8-week LSD microdosing treatment, patients still showed a 62.8% reduction in depressive symptoms.

Playlist

Video: GREENTEA PENG: Worldwide Awards 2020

Greentea Peng is crowned Breakthrough Act at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards 2020, performing live in the Brownswood Basement.

"Despite the apparent chaos of her musical construction, Peng’s discography is remarkably accessible to the average listener. The many different genres she uses intertwine to create a truly multifaceted sound, one that draws in fans of many different types of music. This is best encapsulated in her 2021 album Man Made, which takes the listener on a journey of musical exploration. 'This Sound,' the second track on the album, provides a funky, bass-filled instrumental, while the next song 'Free My People' displays a hypnotizing ripple of reggae-style rhythm, although the reggae influence is less obvious than in other projects, notably the 2020 single 'Revolution'. Moving through the project, a huge variety of styles and influences emerge; the D’n’B beats in 'Nah It Ain’t the Same', grungy bass and electric guitar in 'Sinner', and enthusiastic jazzy style of 'Jimtastic Blues' are just some examples. This all resides under her lulling neo-soul vocals, through which enthusiasts can recall the lush sound of Peng’s greatest inspirations, Erkyah Badu and Lauryn Hill. Clearly, there is something within her music for every type of listener." - Eliana Schiller

Article: A Soul Laid Bare: All About Greentea Peng

Weekly Mixtape
Inspired by Greentea Peng's 'psychedelic R'n'B'

Playlist: Stuck in the middle

"Merging organic forms with timeless craft, Susanna Bauer emphasizes incredible details in her intimate leaf sculptures. Working with a range of foraged species, from ginkgo to magnolia to oak, the artist meticulously stitches around the edges or fills in tiny incisions, creating intricate lacework compositions.

"A new monograph Susanna Bauer: IN LEAF, published by 5 Continents Editions, celebrates her use of natural ephemera to create elegant pieces exploring the relationship between strength and fragility." - Kate Mothes

Article: Susanna Bauer’s Intricately Crocheted Leaves Celebrate the Elegance and Ephemerality of Nature

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Love & Work is the weekly newsletter by me, Mitch Anthony. I help people use their brand - their purpose, values, and stories - as a pedagogy and toolbox for transformation.

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