Slow-turning carousel-style benches invite Aussies to embrace an unhurried moment in a bustling city by connecting with others. By harking back to playground days and offering people a retreat, ENESS benches create moments of escape through play, relaxation, and mental health awareness.

Automated in-store services mean people are losing an element of human interaction while grocery shopping. French supermarket chain Carrefour is hoping to find a balance with its ‘Blabla’ checkouts, where customers can take their time to chat with the cashier and have more meaningful interactions.

Professor Leslie Kern explores how the intricate relationship between gender, intersectionality, and gentrification affects the experience of women and gender non-conforming individuals living in the city. How does city design exacerbate inequality and exclusion, and is gentrification inevitable?

Between high costs of living and a loneliness epidemic, the golden years of ageing feel less golden. But as values shift toward community and ageing in place, seniors are turning to co-living models like those designed by the Canadian Senior Cohousing Society to improve their quality of life.