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.

Amid travel restrictions in China, a growing number of urbanites is finding escape in the countryside. The rural has transformed into an aspirational symbol amongst the well-off, shown by the rise of eco-tourism and people sharing their bucolic lifestyles on social media.

Employees in China are ‘naked resigning’ – a term for quitting a job without a plan for the future. With a comfortable, affluent life feeling far out of reach for many, young workers are opting for work-life balance over furthering their career.

Having emerged from Tumblr and established a presence on TikTok, the cottagecore subculture has seen young Americans go online to post pastoral aesthetics and participate in activities that are more common in rural areas. But what exactly is driving Gen Z’s interest in quaint lifestyles?