The Commons
A community and 3rd space rekindling intellectual curiosity, co-created play, & inner-exploration, in the heart of SF
What is it?
The Commons is a community initiative to cultivate more connection and curiosity in San Francisco. Over the next year, we are building a physical community space, cafe, and events studio in SF. Currently, we host events for intellectual exploration, contemplative reflection, and co-created play.
Our vision is a community space where play, curiosity, and creativity define the culture and bring together a community invested in collective flourishing.
︎ become a patron
Why we’re doing this
In America, studies suggests that we’ve lost half of the casual gathering places, or “third spaces”, that existed at midcentury.
The decline of these spaces has in turn led to a decline of spaces for civic discourse, informal forms of mutual support, and other bedrocks of social trust.
The Commons is our antidote against these larger forces.
We seek to build a physical space that nourishes curiosity towards our inner and outer worlds. A place where connection to self & others through mind & body catalyzes personal and communal transformation.
︎ read more about “our why”
Events & Initiatives
While we build out our community space, we are piloting events with a small and budding community. We design our events to nourish playful curiosity towards our inner and outer worlds.
Ⅰ
Play
Tinker
Explore
Play
Tinker
Explore
Ⅱ
Discuss
Engage
Go Deep
Discuss
Engage
Go Deep
Ⅲ
Create
Give
Support
Create
Give
Support
Ⅳ
Reflect
Integrate
Grow
Reflect
Integrate
Grow
Ⅴ
Repeat
︎
Repeat
︎
Juntos
Groups of 10-12
• Weekly
Juntos are small, intimate forums for open-ended dialogue. They start with a pre-determined question and follow a single thread of conversation with the same group, week over week.
Salon Talks
Groups of 10-25 • Ad-hoc
Our spin on the French Salon. Salons are one-off events that explore a specific theme, topic, or question facilitated by a community member with experience in the subject matter.
Essay Clubs
Groups of 6-8 •
Weekly
Essay Clubs are structured reading groups to dive into intellectual curiosities. Essay Clubs explore a tradition, canon, or area of interest over a period of time.
Contemplative Reflections
Groups of 8-20 • Bi-Weekly
The Commons coordinates groups for mutual support, mindfulness practices, and emotional reflection.
Conscious Play
Groups of 20+
• Ad-Hoc
Maker nights, cafe crawls, themed dinner parties, quirky game nights, community input on our initiatives, and many other co-created, intentionally designed experiences.
Third Space
Coming soon to SF
We’re actively designing a physical community space, events venue, and co-working cafe to gather our community in a public and central hub.
︎ become a patron
Support us to build a more curious and connected SF.
︎ join the waitlist
We’re busy running events with a small budding community in SF, but we’ll be expanding soon. If you’re interested in The Commons, drop us a note.
︎ stay updated
Stay updated on our community, third space, and learnings.
Want to help or have questions?
︎ thesfcommons@gmail.com
︎ Follow us on Twitter
An initiative stewarded by Patricia Mou and Adi Melamed, co-created and built with love by the community