Sector:
Place Branding
Type:
Research | Social Innovation
What:
Cultural Research and Insights
Place Branding
Lego Serious Play
Innovation Strategy
Places 4 Us
The Impact of Cities on Gen Z Happiness
Places For Us, the first Brazilian agency specialized in Place Branding, launched a series of studies to explore the impact of living in big cities on people's quality of life and happiness. The series, titled "Oxytocity," merges the concepts of "oxytocin" and "city," reflecting the connection between urban environments and human well-being.
The first edition focused on Generation Z. The challenge was to understand how young people interact with the city, their dreams and aspirations, and how urban environments affect their well-being and happiness.
Young people and the city
There is a close connection between cities, people, identities and culture. The place where we live impacts us and is impacted by the interactions, the way we navigate and live in that place. The connection we create - or not - with the places where we live directly affects our happiness and well-being - even more so for the dreamy and idealistic generation Z, who wants to "live individually, collectively".
For this generation in which identity and a sense of belonging are still being formed, ideal cities are those that function as physical, social and emotional platforms to promote this self-development, with public spaces and physical structures of the city as active agents of social interactions. Having a calm and community life, like in the time of their grandparents, facilitated by technology is a desired future vision among young people. A future nostalgia that integrates the good of the past with what they miss in the present and want to recover in the future.
Nostalgia about the future
To gain deep insights into Generation Z and their relationship with cities, I facilitated co-creation sessions using the Lego Serious Play methodology with groups of young people aged 16-23. Guided by key questions about their realities and perceptions of urban life, the participants were able to share their stories and personal desires about a collective future. This process allowed for the identification of cultural codes, values, and pain points, as well as the creation of shared models of ideal cities from the participants' perspective.
The result was a shared vision of belonging and a strong sense of community, which are central points for the happiness and well-being of this generation. These insights were essential for designing place branding strategies and solutions focused on building cities that promote quality of life and happiness.
Co-creating the ideal of the city we want to live in
• Insights Culturais e Sociais: Compreensão profunda das aspirações da Geração Z em relação à vida urbana e seu impacto na sociedade.
• Place Branding Humanizado: Criação de uma visão de cidades que promovem pertencimento e felicidade.
• Co-criação e Pertencimento: Visão coletiva sobre o futuro das cidades, proporcionando aos jovens uma plataforma para expressar suas aspirações e sonhos.
