Designing Warmth: A Human-Centered Approach to Connection and Collective Well-Being

Warmth is a connecting principle. Somehow the barriers come down when warmth is involved. — Pema Chödrön

Warmth is a powerful and essential component of human connection, prioritized by the biological brain and spiritual heart alike. 

To thrive, we humans need to experience interconnectedness between ourselves and the world around us. Psychologist Abraham Maslow described this as “the pinnacle of human experience,” and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called it “as essential to our well-being as food and water.” Yet today, nearly 40% of American adults report significant loneliness or isolation, increasing risks of depression, heart disease, dementia, and early death. In a world increasingly shaped by disconnection, how might we intentionally design for warmth, connection, and transparency?

This workshop invites you to explore how designing for warmth — in your relationships, your work, and your communities — can build stronger, healthier, and more connected individuals and communities. 

Over the weekend, we’ll explore the science, philosophy, and spirituality of warmth while examining how connection is either supported or undermined by the structure of our relationships, organizations, and communities. We will explore how warmth can be designed into everyday interactions and larger social and professional contexts — supporting trust, openness, and a felt sense of being seen and valued.

We’ll balance theoretical inquiry with practical experience for both intellectual grounding and embodied insight. Together, we’ll examine how warmth is currently designed — or absent — in our lives and experiment with new ways of shaping relational environments with greater intention.