Inner Sunset
Trinket Trade
Designing a neighborhood experience that sparked a citywide movement of shared exchange and connection. One of the first trinket trade installations in San Francisco, helping inspire dozens more across neighborhoods.
Role: Experience Designer
Scope: Inner Sunset, San Francisco · Community-driven system
1. Overview
I designed and installed one of the first trinket trade boxes in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset—part of an emerging movement centered around small, shared exchanges.
The premise is simple: take a trinket, leave a trinket. But the intention is deeper—to create a low-friction experience that encourages curiosity, generosity, and connection between strangers.
What began as a single installation has since contributed to a growing network of similar boxes across the city. Featured in Axios SF
Impact
The 2nd trinket trade box in San Francisco
Inspired dozens of similar installations across neighborhoods
1,000+ visitors, from the Bay Area, Canada, NY and more
Created a shared, community-driven exchange system
Enabled ongoing participation without centralized ownership
Designing the Experience
The experience is intentionally simple and open-ended, designed to invite participation without instruction.
Low barrier to entry → anyone can participate instantly
Designed for discovery → small moments of surprise
Anonymous but shared → connection without pressure
Evolving over time → shaped by the community
Designing the System
While simple on the surface, the experience required thoughtful design to sustain participation and care over time.
Placement in a visible but approachable location
Minimal instructions to reduce friction
Initial curation to seed participation
Trust-based system with no enforcement
Designed to function without maintenance or ownership.
How it Works
Encounter
A passerby notices the box
Curiosity
They open it and explore what’s inside
Exchange
Take something, leave something
Reflection
They leave with a small, unexpected moment of connection
Ways to Engage
Trinket Trade
Take a trinket, leave a trinket
Wishing Tree
Write and share messages or hopes
Fairy Garden
A playful, evolving micro-world
Sticker Fridge
Casual, low-stakes creative exchange
Jewelry Exchange
Leave or take small personal items
Guest Book & Sign Your Name
Leave a message and sign the box
Music Mailbox
Leave a song, take a song
Rock Exchange
Take a rock, leave a rock
What Visitors Said
“Thank you for what you are doing it makes me feel great. I am battling cancer and also studying to pass my test.”
“Thank you so much for bringing whimsy to the neighborhood”
Designing for Everyday Connection
Meaningful connection doesn’t require scale or complexity. Small, intentional interactions can create a sense of belonging in the most unexpected places.
When experiences are open-ended and low-pressure, people engage on their own terms, making them more approachable and more likely to endure.
This project reinforced that connection doesn’t need to be programmed, it can be designed into everyday environments and spread organically through people.