Where memories aren't curated—they're lived
Collective Memory
Collective Memory
Where memories aren't curated—they're lived
Rewinding back to 2016..
Rewinding back to 2016..
It was a time for creative self-expression, prioritizing personal and community-driven content that encouraged engagement and creativity.
It was a time for creative self-expression, prioritizing personal and community-driven content that encouraged engagement and creativity.
YOUTH. ENERGY. FREEDOM.
These were feelings associated with 2016 that triggers nostalgia for Gen Xs and Gen Y.
These were feelings associated with 2016 that triggers nostalgia for Gen Xs and Gen Y.
"A simple time in their life."
The answer wasn’t a year—it was an emotion. Meaningful memories. Life transitions. That contrast between who we were “then” and who we are now. What people miss about 2016 isn’t 2016 itself. It’s the feeling of being present, connected, and fully alive.
The answer wasn’t a year—it was an emotion. Meaningful memories. Life transitions. That contrast between who we were “then” and who we are now. What people miss about 2016 isn’t 2016 itself. It’s the feeling of being present, connected, and fully alive.
Online communities then were interconnected, sharing collective experiences between different generations—whether it was chasing Pokémon on the street or jumping into DIY trends.
Online communities then were interconnected, sharing collective experiences between different generations—whether it was chasing Pokémon on the street or jumping into DIY trends.
The problem is individuals are disconnecting from their own lives, creating fragmented digital spaces that encourage content consumption over self-expression.
The problem is individuals are disconnecting from their own lives, creating fragmented digital spaces that encourage content consumption over self-expression.
Collective Memory isn’t about recreating 2016. It’s about rediscovering the conditions that made it feel so alive: spontaneity, participation, and genuine connection. Creating a space that encourages personalization, self expression and creativity without the pressure. Allowing people to live in moment and create rather than to consume.
Collective Memory isn’t about recreating 2016. It’s about rediscovering the conditions that made it feel so alive: spontaneity, participation, and genuine connection. Creating a space that encourages personalization, self expression and creativity without the pressure. Allowing people to live in moment and create rather than to consume.
Our goal isn’t to relive the past but to create moments now that will feel just as meaningful in the future.
Our goal isn’t to relive the past but to create moments now that will feel just as meaningful in the future.
EMPATHIZE
GEN Z (1997-2012)
GEN Z (1997-2012)
For Gen Z, 2016 was the era of their late childhood and early adolescence—a time before digital spaces felt like high-pressure marketplaces.
For Gen Z, 2016 was the era of their late childhood and early adolescence—a time before digital spaces felt like high-pressure marketplaces.
GEN Y (1981-1996)
GEN Y (1981-1996)
They were the "Primary Creators" of content. Millennials were the heavy-lifters of 2016, building the subcultures on Tumblr, the aesthetic grids on Instagram, and the DIY communities on Pinterest.
They were the "Primary Creators" of content. Millennials were the heavy-lifters of 2016, building the subcultures on Tumblr, the aesthetic grids on Instagram, and the DIY communities on Pinterest.
What do they have in common?
Both groups share a "Digital Homesickness." Whether they are looking back at a simpler childhood (Gen Z) or a more creative youth (Millennials), they both crave a space that prioritizes process over performance.
Both groups share a "Digital Homesickness." Whether they are looking back at a simpler childhood (Gen Z) or a more creative youth (Millennials), they both crave a space that prioritizes process over performance.
DEFINE
HOW MIGHT WE...
HOW MIGHT WE...
Design a digital playground that bridges the gap between individual, tactile self-expression and a shared, uncurated global archive to satisfy the modern desire for creative autonomy and spontaneous, “alive” connection?
Design a digital playground that bridges the gap between individual, tactile self-expression and a shared, uncurated global archive to satisfy the modern desire for creative autonomy and spontaneous, “alive” connection?
User Research
We conducted a user survey to gain both qualitative and quantitive data our goal of the survey was to gauge the real insights into what made 2016 nostalgic, embracing what they missed in their youth by sharing their experiences.
We conducted a user survey to gain both qualitative and quantitive data our goal of the survey was to gauge the real insights into what made 2016 nostalgic, embracing what they missed in their youth by sharing their experiences.
How It Went?
37 Responses
All across North America and Latin America
All across North America and Latin America
Top Categories of Content Consumed
Creative/DIY content, social/viral challenges and gaming.
Nostalgia was the incentive that made responders experience a “creative comeback.”
Nostalgia was the incentive that made responders experience a “creative comeback.”
53%
Feel that they are more creative on an anonymous digital canvas.
38%
Feel indifferent about personal and collaborative spaces.
82%
Misses the “messy” and “unfiltered” nature of the internet.
What did we learn?
What did we learn?
Digital Overload
Digital Overload
Preference of physical over digital experiences when it comes to hobbies. A significant number of respondents feel that the modern world is "too digital," leading to a loss of tactile satisfaction.
Preference of physical over digital experiences when it comes to hobbies. A significant number of respondents feel that the modern world is "too digital," leading to a loss of tactile satisfaction.
“I don’t really have any physical hobbies, and the few that I do, I prefer them as physical since everything is digital nowadays.”
“I don’t really have any physical hobbies, and the few that I do, I prefer them as physical since everything is digital nowadays.”
Over-Curated and Polished Content
Over-Curated and Polished Content
Users feel a strong disconnect from today’s highly polished and algorithm-driven feeds, preferring the "messy" nature of the past. Depression and unsatisfied with current trends.
Users feel a strong disconnect from today’s highly polished and algorithm-driven feeds, preferring the "messy" nature of the past. Depression and unsatisfied with current trends.
One respondent described their current state as a "really boring lifestyle currently," which motivated them to seek out old creative platforms.
One respondent described their current state as a "really boring lifestyle currently," which motivated them to seek out old creative platforms.
Lack of Genuine, Global Connection
Lack of Genuine, Global Connection
There is a sense that modern digital interactions lack the "alive" feeling of past viral events where everyone participated simultaneously.
There is a sense that modern digital interactions lack the "alive" feeling of past viral events where everyone participated simultaneously.
Regarding Pokémon GO, one respondent noted, "It felt alive because everyone was doing it... people felt connected in a way and they are able to share their experiences despite the differing cultures."
Regarding Pokémon GO, one respondent noted, "It felt alive because everyone was doing it... people felt connected in a way and they are able to share their experiences despite the differing cultures."
IDEATE
Collective Memory
Collective Memory
An infinite, collaborative canvas designed for slow, intentional growth, offering a dedicated space to archive the "now" before it disappears.
An infinite, collaborative canvas designed for slow, intentional growth, offering a dedicated space to archive the "now" before it disappears.
Global Archive
Global Archive
For ten months, this digital space acts as a living archive. Users move away from performative posting and instead contribute "artifacts"—snapshots of street style, fragments of digital art, or the specific humor defining the month.
For ten months, this digital space acts as a living archive. Users move away from performative posting and instead contribute "artifacts"—snapshots of street style, fragments of digital art, or the specific humor defining the month.
It is a season of unfiltered participation, stripping away the pressure of the modern algorithm and replacing it with the joy of collective curation.
It is a season of unfiltered participation, stripping away the pressure of the modern algorithm and replacing it with the joy of collective curation.
Personal Archive
Personal Archive
Your archive is your own personal space, customizable to your liking. You can add photos, icons, colour, and anything that you’d like to design your small corner of the internet.
Your archive is your own personal space, customizable to your liking. You can add photos, icons, colour, and anything that you’d like to design your small corner of the internet.
PROTOTYPE
Mid-High Fidelity Wireframes explore different variations of media presentation in the collective archive, from polaroids, to stickers and messages.
Mid-High Fidelity Wireframes explore different variations of media presentation in the collective archive, from polaroids, to stickers and messages.
OUR SOLUTION
Collective Memory isn’t about recreating 2016, but it is an archival digital canvas that can be contributed to for 10 months of each year.
Collective Memory isn’t about recreating 2016, but it is an archival digital canvas that can be contributed to for 10 months of each year.
Users will upload different types of unique content, including text, songs, and images relevant to the prompt, contributing to a digital archive of the year.
Users will upload different types of unique content, including text, songs, and images relevant to the prompt, contributing to a digital archive of the year.
This collective archive allows users to upload a single submission to a communal vault with friends or a smaller community, based on the weekly prompt.
This collective archive allows users to upload a single submission to a communal vault with friends or a smaller community, based on the weekly prompt.
Finally, the collective archive will undergo a moderator review each calendar year from 2026 onwards, allowing users to look back at their “2026 Vault" and enjoy the cultivation of a cataloged public archive.
Finally, the collective archive will undergo a moderator review each calendar year from 2026 onwards, allowing users to look back at their “2026 Vault" and enjoy the cultivation of a cataloged public archive.
Think back to Club Penguin, our “My Archive” is a personal “igloo” where users can share and upload parts of their years. This fully customizable personal archive allows users to collect and document moments through multimedia artifacts.
Think back to Club Penguin, our “My Archive” is a personal “igloo” where users can share and upload parts of their years. This fully customizable personal archive allows users to collect and document moments through multimedia artifacts.
How does our solution address the digital overload that users experience?
How does our solution address the digital overload that users experience?
Collective Memory avoids replacing physical experiences with digital ones by positioning the platform as a space for intentional reflection rather than constant interaction, encouraging users to engage in real-world activities and only return to document and share meaningful moments in a more focused, less overwhelming way.
Collective Memory avoids replacing physical experiences with digital ones by positioning the platform as a space for intentional reflection rather than constant interaction, encouraging users to engage in real-world activities and only return to document and share meaningful moments in a more focused, less overwhelming way.
How does our solution address the over-curation that users experience in their online presence?
How does our solution address the over-curation that users experience in their online presence?
Collective Memory prioritizes authenticity over perfectionism, replacing algorithm-driven feeds with prompt-based contributions and community curation, which creates space for more “messy,” personal, and unfiltered expression. By removing performance pressure and endless scrolling, it encourages creativity, experimentation, and a sense of participation, helping users reconnect with a more engaging and autonomous digital experience.
Collective Memory prioritizes authenticity over perfectionism, replacing algorithm-driven feeds with prompt-based contributions and community curation, which creates space for more “messy,” personal, and unfiltered expression. By removing performance pressure and endless scrolling, it encourages creativity, experimentation, and a sense of participation, helping users reconnect with a more engaging and autonomous digital experience.
How does our solution address the lack of genuine connection that users experience online?
How does our solution address the lack of genuine connection that users experience online?
Collective Memory creates shared moments of participation through time-based prompts and communal vaults, where users co-create an archive alongside others within the same window, fostering a sense of simultaneity and collective presence. Instead of isolated, algorithm-driven consumption, it builds connection, allowing people to experience and share moments together in a way that feels more alive and socially connected.
Collective Memory creates shared moments of participation through time-based prompts and communal vaults, where users co-create an archive alongside others within the same window, fostering a sense of simultaneity and collective presence. Instead of isolated, algorithm-driven consumption, it builds connection, allowing people to experience and share moments together in a way that feels more alive and socially connected.
Be part of the
Collective Memory
Where memories aren't curated—they're lived
Be part of the
Collective Memory
Collective Memory
Where memories aren't curated—they're lived