Cura Collective: Building Community Beyond Shared Spaces.
The Cura Collective was a three-week project in a service design course led by Marcia Aricó, Mayo Nissen, and Manali Mohanty. The team explored service interventions in housing in Bergamo, specifically focusing on communal housing and co-living.
In the first week, they conducted in-depth research, interviewing residents, property managers, agencies, and housing experts. Field visits to communal housing spaces, Milan and Bergamo, provided additional insights. Two key findings emerged: (1) people often underestimate the value of communal living until they experience it, and (2) a strong community requires more than shared space—it needs structured interactions and engagement.
In the second week, the team transformed research into actionable insights, service blueprints, and journey maps. Based on these insights, the team identified the need for a community-building system beyond physical space. They designed a system to help people work together in maintaining their shared spaces, while also encouraging meaningful connections and participation. Residents would receive task assignments, track completion, and collectively work toward a community-wide reward. The system culminated in a monthly celebration recognizing contributions and achievements, encouraging participation and social cohesion.
The third week focused on prototyping key touchpoints, including an onboarding packet, task tickets, a miniature model of the Cura Community Plaza, and completion/progress posters.
User testing with three participants provided valuable feedback on the service flow and design. Notable testing results included stating all assumptions and easing users into a journey with more context and information. Testing highlighted real-world scenarios, shaping a more robust and practical intervention.
The project emphasized condensing complex research into clear, well-structured service design. It also reinforced skills in research synthesis, mapping, and prototyping, ultimately creating a system that promotes sustainable communal living.
