Though fictional, the Panda app is part of a conceptual project by architecture firm OMA and creative agency Bengler being presented at the Oslo Architecture Triennale 2016. The theoretical Panda app is a system that allows workers within the sharing economy (e.g. Uber drivers, Airbnb homeowners, etc.) to unite with one another and either form a union or revolt against the companies that created this economic system.
Beyond the Panda app itself, the project includes a vision for the future in which the app has successfully been adopted around the world. This vision foresees widespread rioting, especially up and down the west coast of North America, with Silicon Valley at the center of the chaos. OMA and Bengler even included imagery with their conceptual projects, such as magazine covers featuring the visionaries behind Panda and fake photos of mass Panda-fueled protests.
Economy-Disrupting App Concepts
The Panda App is a Conceptual Project to Upset the Sharing Economy
Trend Themes
1. Sharing Economy - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop apps or platforms that empower workers within the sharing economy to unite and advocate for their rights.
2. Unionization - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create technologies that facilitate the formation of unions within the sharing economy, giving workers more bargaining power.
3. Revolutionary Apps - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design apps that challenge the existing sharing economy model and provide alternatives for users.
Industry Implications
1. Transportation - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop platforms that offer fairer conditions for taxi drivers or transportation providers within the sharing economy.
2. Hospitality - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create platforms that promote better working conditions and compensation for hosts in the sharing economy.
3. Labor Advocacy - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build technologies that support workers' rights by providing resources, legal advice, and organization tools.