The Affection Deficit – Is human connection the new luxury in our urban fabric?

The Affection Deficit is the notion that human connection is now seen as a kind of luxury. Coined by Mintel as a major global consumer trend in 2026, it manifests in the built environment, influencing what we design and what consumers crave from the places we live, work and spend time in.

The Age of Efficiency — and the Cost of It

We live in a time when automation and efficiency are celebrated. Whether it’s scanning our own groceries at the supermarket checkout or pre-ordering a flat white to save a few minutes on the morning commute, technology has smoothed the edges of everyday life, but in doing so, has quietly eroded the moments of connection that make it feel human. Mintel’s research highlights the scale of this shift: 56% of Gen Z report feeling lonely, while 63% prioritise self-care over finding a romantic partner.

The fading of everyday rituals, the chat with a barista, a nod to a neighbour, has left many people searching for new forms of connection. For the built environment sector, this means a growing appreciation for spaces and experiences that make people feel seen, valued and part of something.

Designing for Togetherness

For developers and placemakers, this is a profound challenge and opportunity. If human connection is the new currency of value, the places we create must actively foster it.

In the build-to-rent (BTR) sector, we’re already seeing this shift in action. Our BTR clients are investing heavily in amenity spaces designed to help residents connect, not just coexist. At Coppermaker Square, an epic spin studio and series of wellness classes are redefining what it means to live well together, broadening the ways residents can interact beyond the walls of their homes. Meanwhile, Way of Life’s newly launched development in Walthamstow, The Eades, offers incredible communal lounges that encourage people to unwind, socialise and genuinely get to know their neighbours.

These are not just lifestyle perks – they are the foundations of community.

Reimagining Shared Experience

The redevelopment of Olympia is another powerful example. With nearly 140 years of history built on spectacle and shared experience, Olympia has long been a place where people come together. The transformation underway will ensure that legacy continues – from the Olympia Theatre to the new 3,800-capacity music venue, creating a beacon of culture that will once again knit communities together through design, creativity and shared emotion.

This next chapter for Olympia captures something vital: that even in an age of hyper-efficiency and digital living, people still crave moments of togetherness. Thoughtful, intentional design can create the conditions for that, reminding us that connection isn’t a by-product of place, but its very purpose.

Redefining Connection

Mintel’s insight that consumers crave unity over division feels like a call to action for our industry. Beyond the bricks, the plans and the campaigns, what we’re really doing is helping people find connection again – with each other, with their surroundings, with their city.

At LCA, we believe the spaces we shape and the stories we tell can rekindle that sense of shared humanity. If efficiency is the defining language of our age, then connection must be its counterbalance – and perhaps its cure.