Millennials, in particular, are avid about mid-century design, says the design historian Alessandra Wood, director of style at the interior design start-up Modsy. (The site’s online “style quiz” indicated the same.)

“Millennials love experiences, and the conversation pit is the ultimate mid-century modern experience,” explains Wood.

Or perhaps it’s has to do with that deeper yearning to be in a circle with other humans, instead of burying ourselves in the feeds from our devices.

“Historically, the conversation pit was about connecting with people, having personal conversations, and creating a more intimate environment to get to know someone or spend time together,” says Wood. ”While older generations might see the pit as a marker of dated design, younger generations are likely drawn to its novelty and ability to create a safe and intimate space in a world that’s increasingly full of impersonal experiences,”

October 2017, courtesy of Timothy deFiebre.
October 2017, courtesy of Timothy deFiebre.
Image: Dwell

The cover of the latest issue of Dwell magazine features a conversation pit in a glass-enclosed room in the heart of Silicon Valley, complete with a grape-colored Tufty-Too sectional. Captioned with the words “Design the Future: Enhance the World,” the cover might be read as a call for balance amid our overly-wired tech environments.

When so many of us are addicted to our mobile devices and subsist on virtual messaging, perhaps it isn’t so ridiculous to dig a crater in the middle of the living room—if that’s what it takes to remind us to sit down with one another and to converse.

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