Proximity is a spatial research surface that turns Are.na blocks into multiplayer grids for public thinking.

It creates a shared environment where ideas are arranged through Rigid, Chaos, and Stacks views, expanded with sketchbook-style annotation, and supported by team-based collaboration. Multi-cell linking and ambient AI discovery help connect fragments into patterns, while comments, gates, and Presenter Mode enable moments of focus and exchange. Push–pull integration with Are.na ensures work remains dynamic and connected.

The result is a complex exploratory space for research and ideas. Sustaining context across networks of thinkers.

Our world-system is shaped by logistics. Supply chains, digital twins, abandoned infrastructures, and distribution networks quietly organise daily life in the UK.

Gathering in the Shadows of Progress explores how these forgotten circuits act as repositories of intelligence, shaping not only movement and trade but also culture, governance, and imagination.

The project is about learning from the shadows and using localised observation nodes to bring manufacturers, distributors, designers, and communities into new conversations. By recovering peripheral intelligence, we help partners anticipate risks, identify opportunities, and design futures grounded in real-world systems.