MURALS: The World is Your Canvas

In an era of hyper-connectivity, young adults are reporting record levels of loneliness and self-doubt. Social media often pushes us toward „individual performance,“ where every post is judged by likes and algorithms. MURALS is our response to this-a collaborative web platform designed for collective creation, shifting the focus from „me“ to „us.“

1. What is MURALS?

MURALS is a digital sanctuary for slow, low-pressure creativity. It is a shared web canvas where users contribute to an evolving collage of thoughts, images, and sketches. Instead of a polished gallery, it is a living mural that celebrates the process of making things together.

2. The Value Proposition

Why does MURALS matter? We focus on three core pillars:

-Low-Barrier Entry: No professional skills required. You don’t start with a blank page; you join an existing conversation.

-Zero-Pressure Expression: By removing likes, comments, and public metrics, we celebrate the „imperfect“ and the „raw.“

-Belonging Through Co-Creation: It turns the act of creation into a social bond, helping users feel like part of something larger than themselves.

3. The User Archetype

Our project is designed around two core user archetypes: the Purpose Driven Collaborator and the Playful Explorer. The Purpose Driven Collaborator believes in collective expression and sees creativity as a way to build meaning, raise awareness, or drive social change. This user is values led and intentional, and they are motivated by impact rather than personal visibility. In contrast, the Playful Explorer approaches Murals with curiosity and openness. They enjoy experimenting, remixing ideas, and creating without pressure or fixed outcomes. Together, these archetypes reflect Murals’ core vision of shifting creativity away from individual ownership toward shared experience, where both intention and play can coexist within a community driven space.

4. User Journey

The user journey for Murals is designed to feel gradual, welcoming, and low pressure. It begins with awareness, often through social media or word of mouth, where curiosity leads users to explore example murals and visit the platform. As interest grows, users engage more deeply by learning about Murals’ values and its focus on community based creation. During the consideration stage, users look for signals of safety, openness, and accessibility, deciding whether this is a space where they belong. Trust is built through community stories, guided sessions, and visible collaborative outcomes. The journey ends in action, where users actively join a mural, add images, and contribute to a shared collage, leaving with a sense of being part of something bigger and a motivation to continue creating within the community.

5. How the Design Supports the Concept

From Individual Expression to Shared Belonging

MURALS encourages a shift from personal expression to collective creation through shared image boards and small-group collaboration. By removing likes, followers, and viral mechanics, the platform stays slow and non-competitive, measuring success through participation and return. This creates a safe space to explore sensitive topics without public pressure.

6. Visuals

Light, modern graphics and soft gradients make navigation simple and approachable. A familiar menu and a lively landing page filled with canvas examples invite users to co-create, while features like “Discover something cool” and daily sparks gently inspire ongoing collaboration.

7. User Cases

Use Case 1: Creative Studio Collaboration

Designers or artists use MURALS to co-create mood boards across locations. Participants add references, sketches, and textures to a shared canvas, allowing ideas to evolve collectively without the pressure of instant feedback or competition.

Use Case 2: International Peace Exchange

Community groups from different regions contribute images reflecting what peace means in their local context. Over time, the shared canvas becomes a collective visual dialogue, emphasizing understanding and coexistence rather than debate or visibility.

8. See it in Action (Prototype Walkthrough)

Check out how MURALS works in real-time. This video demonstrates the seamless flow of adding elements to a shared canvas and how the community-driven design comes to life.

Prototype:

https://www.figma.com/make/MCj4mmlXOvMyxftIsemX1R/MURALS--STUDIO-WORK?fullscreen=1&t=bBmfhWLpEyCT6Sjh-

Link to video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1B6TbcrilQ