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# Communal Retro Computer Concepts
Shaun Wellens Imagines a Shared 1972 Terminal in Cream

By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-11-05 | Tech
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/communal-retro-computer-concepts
References: [yankodesign](https://www.yankodesign.com/2026/11/03/the-p1-terminal-is-the-severance-computer-id-actually-want-to-use)

![Communal Retro Computer Concepts](https://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/thumbs/650/communal-retro-computer-concepts.jpeg)

Shaun Wellens imagined the ‘CGI P1 Terminal’ as a shared computer for communal living, pairing a [cream-colored clamshell](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/px88) with a [phosphor-look screen](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/16bit-display) and a bright blue trackball. Cast as a ‘Push / Pull’ concept from a fictional 1972 rollout, it handles mail, bulletin boards and shopping from a single mounted station.

The trackball sits below the keyboard at center, giving left- and right-handed residents equal reach, while an articulated arm lets the unit drop down, tilt and tuck back when space is tight. A camera notch and an exposed metal hinge keep the alternate-history styling from reading like a sealed prop.

Shaun Wellens shows how a center-mounted trackball and wall-style arm can turn the P1 into a model for shared digital access, closer to a catalog terminal than a personal PC, widening [retro computer concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retro95) from collector decor to communal hardware for dense living spaces.

Image Credit: Shaun Wellens

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 7.8/10
- Popularity: 67% | Activity: 67% | Freshness: 100%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X
- Top markets: North America

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Computers](https://www.trendhunter.com/computers)

## Key Themes

### What Makes This Trend Stand Out

- **Communal Computing Stations:** Shared terminals in residential spaces reveal potential for accessible digital hubs that reduce device redundancy while supporting everyday communication and services.
- **Retro-futurist Interfaces:** Alternate-history hardware aesthetics can differentiate modern connected products by blending nostalgic visual cues with contemporary utility.
- **Space-saving Mounted Devices:** Articulated, wall-mounted technology formats open new possibilities for compact living environments where flexible access matters more than personal ownership.

### Sectors Adopting This

- **Consumer Electronics:** Modular shared-device concepts suggest new product categories designed around household collaboration, durability and inclusive ergonomics.
- **Multifamily Housing:** Dense residential developments could integrate communal digital infrastructure that supports tenant services, local messaging and shared resource access.
- **Interior Design:** Functional retro terminals create opportunities for technology to serve as both spatial utility and distinctive decor within compact communal interiors.

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