This project focuses on wellbeing and symbiosis. We defined them as:

Symbiosis – an interaction or close living relationship between organisms from different species, with benefits to one or both of the individuals involved.

Wellbeing  – A subjective state of being comfortable, healthy and happy.

Over the course of our research, the main theme that kept popping up was work life balance. We asked ourselves how changes to the way we work might impact both individual and collective wellbeing, and how we might measure wellbeing in 10 years’ time. We explored these themes across two places in our 2031 world, the city of Glasgow and Azores, a future company town.

2031 Glasgow is a densely populated area with high rise flats and little green space. Glasgow aims to increase well-being by encouraging individual identity. People are free to express their individuality, the population is a diverse mix of people from different backgrounds. There are laws for protected characteristics to stop discrimination. People want to live here because there is an opportunity to be successful. People have free will to make more decisions.

Our response to 2031 Glasgow is Azores. Azores is a company-run town aimed mainly at low income & low wellbeing people & families. People apply and are accepted depending on their individual wellbeing score. People have to show low individual wellbeing to get in

Individuals have to show Increased wellbeing while they’re there.

There is a stable birth rate due to free childcare, no financial cost of living etc.

Azores improves wellbeing by providing a better work life balance, healthy food and increased opportunities for human connection, along with a mutualism between humans and nature.

Citizens of Glasgow 2031 have free-will. Choice over actions means people can make decisions that will negatively impact their well-being.

Azores, a large tech firm develops the Azores village to house their workers. The village is described as an oasis in the modern world. Azores believes in external determinism, that the external environment affects residents well-being. The village is designed specifically to improve wellbeing. In theory, if residents are not exposed to negative stimuli, their 

well-being will increase.

In 2031 Azores, citizens are not permitted to leave the town without an official travel visa. Azores residents do not get paid for their work, instead, the company provides them with housing, goods and services. How might people protest under these circumstances, in a way that allows them to spread their narrative further than they are physically able to travel?

The Peoples Well-being Cooperative (PWC) was founded to help residents share their experiences beyond the Azores border. Residents make protest stickers detailing their experience and hide them inside Azores product packaging. Azores spreads these messages to their customers in surrounding cities. The campaign used the #azoreswellbeingprison to reach a wider audience through social media.