This semester, the team worked on a project for New Sun Rising (NSR), a Pittsburgh nonprofit that creates equitable and vibrant communities through funding, capacity building, and data usage. In response to NSR's challenge, the team designed an 'experiential future'—an interactive installation simulating a scenario where small nonprofits operate underground in the face of government and institutional opposition. The result was Peoples' Vertex, a secret hub where these groups support each other and foster solidarity.
How might we communicate the need to empower small community organizations and nonprofits to collaborate and thrive despite facing significant challenges from government and institutional oppression?
Interviews with nonprofit leaders revealed NSR's community aspirations and concerns about Pittsburgh's future. Current signals include local initiatives, elderly engagement, technological shifts, and funding constraints, which informed reflective questions for post-experience discussions.
The team focused on a single future scenario where nonprofits struggle against systemic resistance, creating clandestine spaces like Peoples' Vertex—speakeasy-like hubs where community members work against societal constraints. The scenario includes details like tech acronym shifts (MAMAA to DADAA) and increased climate migration to enhance immersion.
Participants received IDs inspired by government-issued EBT cards, integrated onto a single card representing six sectors: health, education, technology, arts and entertainment, culture, environment, and social work. Users selected identifications based on their interests.
A security alert system notifying users of nearby hostile police and governmental entities. It also functioned as a futuristic smart home system, monitoring climate-related temperatures and warning when police proximity threatened the venue.
Digital and physical menus enhanced the speakeasy storytelling. Tablets displayed a Figma prototype interface, allowing visitors to interact using their ID keychains. Services were personalized—guests scanned IDs to prompt reflections on contributing vibrancy to their communities.
Posters created an immersive futuristic atmosphere. Outdoor posters offered warnings in somber tones and multiple languages, advising visitors to disable location tracking. Indoor posters showcased optimistic future services like 3D food printing, robotic child care, and lab-grown superfoods. Both sets were displayed eclectically to enhance authenticity.
A futuristic job search service reimagining how NGOs help people prepare for interviews. We offered an underground option where people could get "corporate" headshots.
Branding conveyed themes from repression to hope. The logo used a grayscale, minimalist approach with playful elements. Bold, blocky typography and a vibrant palette of deep aqua blue, lime green, and neon pink reflected the speakeasy's diversity.
To create the physical space for Peoples' Vertex, the team transformed an original gym into a speakeasy-like atmosphere. String lights and a large sign were used to evoke the speakeasy feel, while spray-painted boards divided the room into Peoples' Vertex and the reflection room. Electro swing music played in the background, adding a futuristic touch. Role play was essential to immerse participants in the future, with team members assuming roles like bartender, bouncer, and photo booth operator.
Two reflection stations guided participants after the experience. The first used pink and blue stars to gauge reactions, showing a majority found the future dark with local-scale work around institutions. The second involved double-sided cards for sharing hopes, fears, and expectations, contributing to NSR's research on the Pittsburgh community.
Our biggest takeaway: stretching creative thinking through frameworks and constraints. By narrowing focus and generating specific, unexpected ideas, we sparked meaningful discussions about potential futures. Our intention was not to predict the future, but to pose thought-provoking questions about its existence and implications.
