We tend to think of our basic needs in terms of tangibles: housing, food, water, oxygen. But in order to thrive, humans need a lot more than that. The coronavirus pandemic has revealed just how much social connection plays into our happiness, and how deeply social isolation can affect us psychologically. Living in close proximity to others within a dense urban neighborhood doesn’t necessarily alleviate that loneliness in the modern world, and social norms, at least in the United States and much of Western and Northern Europe, don’t really encourage us to socialize with strangers.

What if we approached urban life from a different perspective" Architectural firm Framlab has envisioned a way to make cities much friendlier to live in with “Open House,” a concept they hope will serve as a prototype for housing that “foregrounds social inclusion, connection, and well-being.” First and foremost, the design addresses what they call the hidden epidemic of social disconnection. “The home is arguably the most important indoor environment in our lives,” they say. “A home is more than a shelter from the elements, and plays an important role for our social, developmental, and cognitive processes. This space is closely related to our senses of trust, safety, and belonging. However, in most cities today, housing is less treated as a human habitat as it is a financial instrument. While cities around the world are struggling to prov...