The Social Bistrot

The wood panels on the side of this two-person bar show the evolution of the context in which we socialize. It tells a story of how the people who used to gather in the public space moved to the digital world. In doing so – through misinformation, anonymity and echo chambers – they became increasingly polarized. At ‘The Social Bistrot’ Facebook commentary debates are printed for its visitors to read. The comments serve as a starting point for a face-to-face discussion. In this way, Elie Lombard puts Facebook debates into a space that provokes healthier conversation. He aims to take the plurality of online opinions and place it in a context that is better suited for social interaction and debate: the café.