What can we learn from Berghain and Stockholm’s opera?
Imagining a phone-less society from 2026 onwards – long live craft, analogue, offline
Playground Readers,
I’ve been attending a beautiful Christmas concert in Stockholm, sung by a choir with a lovely vibe, when suddenly my view kept being blocked by phones. One phone, another. From one angle, another. Then my brother pointed out a guy in front constantly filming, uploading, then checking who liked his posts.
In that beautiful moment, I was reminded of the countless times I felt this way in 2025 – from festivals to restaurants – and I started to dream about a better way forward.
Guilty as charged myself, I started thinking about how aware I am every time I raise my phone. To text, scroll, take a picture, or film a video of something.
Living in Berlin had its own impact on me. On one hand, I was close to a community really involved in Instagram – phone-photo obsessed. On the other hand, the data protection, privacy, and completely anonymous club scene makes it clear – no one will take a pic of you. “Going out” = privacy in Berlin. Ever since, seeing someone taking a video or a photo where you might be visible feels like a complete intrusion of one’s existence on the dancefloor. Not for any wrongdoing, but because of the anonymity. Partying in Berlin equals a spa. Why would anyone ever take photos in the spa?
Shouldn’t more things feel that way?
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Punk Royale, for instance – a known “smoky, fast and close” restaurant with a caviar/vodka moment mid-service in Stockholm – locks your phone the second you sit down. If you want a wild experience, book yourself in now!
If you want an intimate one, go to Hosoi, Stockholm’s first listening room, which has a no-phone policy in their main room too. I spoke to the founder, Viktor Sanchez, for the first issue of Playground magazine – we talked about listening rooms, their origins in Japan, and the idea of bringing you back to an offline communal experience, with full immersion in music and sound. Sound only.
Then take Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village, New York. No-phone policy, except after the show – applause, final thank-you minutes. The same applies to most theatres, opera houses, and dance performances everywhere.
What comes out of all these experiences is full attention – presence.
Other times, a mystique.
“Describe to me how it felt” should be the quote for 2026.
Less “I’ve seen it on your socials” – more “tell me how it was”.
Could we both, as individuals, and as brands…
… imagine phone-less happenings – where maybe the only time you can use your phone is five minutes at the end?
… allow everyone film cameras and Polaroids only?
… do more unique “offline only” experiences?
… create stickers for phone cameras – or lock phones during the experience?
There’s one thing to talk about a phone-less society – and another to actually break patterns. There are a few products I love, created by people equally craving more offline.
Phone Home, created by Matt Kelly for his label Plaey, is my “phone parking” station at home. That’s where my phone sits while I type this. Good design with a clear purpose.
Brick is on its way as I write this too. I stepped into 2026 with even more energy to be aware of my time on my phone – or more so, on socials at least. Brick – a physical brick – works like a contactless device (as I understand). Once you tap it, you get disconnected and blocked from the apps you’ve chosen. The only way to get “unblocked” is to tap the brick again. Excited to play around.
At the centre of this year seems to be a pattern – and a hope for 2026: the year of analogue is the only phrase that comes to me. Increasing DIY, hobbies – from knitting to cooking to DJing – is taking over. Long awaited. I don’t think Pantone’s white colour of the year got anything wrong. On the contrary, it captured the energy that seems to be out there – people want a step back, a fresh start, a pause at the very least. From constant bad news, constant notifications, and energy that doesn’t serve them anymore.
May 2026 onwards be as present as possible, as analogue as possible, and as settled as possible.
While we’re on the theme. The least phone-on activity I plan to do this year is very… cutesy? Join a snail mail club!
What’s a snail mail club? This video sums it up pretty well.
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I like to play around and put things on my other things – notebooks, laptop, you name it. Maybe Playground needs a “play mail club” – a monthly “play” prompt for the time ahead for individuals/ teams/ businesses? Just tell me you’re interested….
Our “more play” slogan (I never intended it to be a slogan) feels so closely associated with us – and so relevant now. It feels like more people are tuning into it. Our black caps picked up speed, we’ve only got a few left (!) and the magazine presence will hopefully bring everyone as much joy in the years ahead too.
Two bits of news as we step into 2026!
First – we’re hiring. Read all the details in the link.
Second – our Open Call for Playground Issue five is live. You’re the early bird to read this – all details also in the link.
Housekeeping
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Thank you for supporting & reading,
Auste & studio playground team