The conventional roster of life milestones is under review. Having kids in your 30s is no longer a given, if kids are part of the plan at all. Career progression is non-linear. Older Adults are finding new forms of independence. And Gen Z are embracing a more fluid definition of home.

From decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) run on Discord to city-wide mutual aid groups, people are finding safety and optimism in numbers. For growing numbers of people, collective action is emerging as the only viable solution to compounding crises and deepening alienation.

The pandemic shone a light on family units, accelerating conversations about alternative relationship structures and challenging existing norms. But in this climate of embracing the ‘non-nuclear’ family, what can brands and businesses do to support shifting ideals around togetherness?

The pandemic brought the importance of communities to the forefront of many people’s minds, prompting some to reconsider their living arrangements. How are co-living and co-housing projects catering to the desire for togetherness? And why else are people pursuing communal living?

With living costs and urban loneliness on the up, people are embracing co-living as they shift away from homeownership and toward viewing living as a service. Start-up Venn simplifies things by managing local services and events to drive community-led urban regeneration.

German metropolises have become victims of their own success – with overheating housing markets, congestion, and oversubscribed infrastructure. In light of this, a city in eastern Germany is offering people a free month’s stay to trial living and working in a smaller urban environment.