There have been a lot of studies done on the value of "third spaces" — places that aren't home and aren't work where one can go and essentially feel at ease. They're valued for building a sense of community, a sense of self, and for encouraging creativity and the free exchange of ideas.
For those of us that work at home, the third space is really a second space, which I would argue makes them all the more important. We talk a lot about making our places multitask here on Apartment Therapy, which can be essential with limited square footage, but there is also something to be said for finding a third space.
Be it attending classes at a yoga studio instead of practicing in a cramped living room, trading a balcony container garden for a community plot, or just taking your home office to the local coffee shop, finding a third place will give you a welcome change in scenery, a chance to socialize, and help you become more involved in your community.
The concept of a "third space", or "third place", was introduced by Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place. To learn more about the concept, check out the book, or Wikipedia article on Third Places.
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I consider my health club to be kind of a third place. Although it'd be a lot better one if the coffees were cheaper. :(
i work from home and don't know what i would do without my neighborhood tea shop which has become my 'office' 3 days a week. and based on the familiar faces i see often i assume i'm not the only one.
I wish there were more third spaces that did not depend on consumerism. Coffee shops are great, but I feel guilty nursing one cup for a few hours. Libraries are a fantastic third space, but are few and far between, not located in every neighbourhood.
I like the photograph. Starbucks is the only coffee shop that is close by and I'm not too keen on them and finding space is difficult, which is a problem with the other coffee shops that are in driving distance. I would certainly welcome more variety, especially if I could walk there, but in this economy I think it difficult. The economy has had a huge destabilizing impact and people tend to be on the move--they don't stay in the community for very long...just build a home, sell it and move on. When homes are viewed as a money making venture that doesn't tend to build ties to a community nor commitment. On that note, I used to walk a lot and that gave me more a sense of community, but I now tend to do that less. I've seen too many businesses go belly up in this economy too and a lot of vacant buildings remain. Sometimes not all change is good.
I agree that when working from home my 'third space' is really a second space. For me, it's my local (fantastic) yoga studio. Practicing at home just doesn't do it - you need to remove yourself from those 4 walls (and the laptop, phone, Other Half, excitable puppy who doesn't appreciate the concept of yoga being solo!). I think it's really crucial for people who do work from home to figure out where their second/third place is going to be and to factor time there into their day/week. I'd argue that taking that physical break leaves you mentally refreshed - and better able to work when you are at your desk. Finding that 'nourishing' space is key.
@Jamineisdomestic, what about parks? They make fantastic third spaces - especially if you live in a city.
Third places are so, so, SO IMPORTANT! We need many more of them.
I'm lucky to have a library about a 20 minute walk away. Besides all the books and magazines there are comfy seats, a fireplace, a few spaces to plug in your computer and an amazing view of the mountains (when it's not raining) and trees. If you get thirsty you can have a drink of water from the fountain, or if you bring a thermos of tea you can pop outside to drink it. There are a lot of commercial options in the area but none are what I'd consider my third home. It can be just a bit too quiet in there sometimes though, you might get so comfy you nod off.
I also volunteer at my granddaughter's school library and that's another kind of third place, though not very quiet or comfy. It does provide a lot of personal satisfaction at being able to help out and no small amount of entertainment.
My parents' barn where I keep my horse is my third place :) :) I don't know what I'd do without it. I'll be cherishing it, and all the work of cleaning stalls that comes with it, even more after I get married ;)
There is a coffee shop not too far from me that is actually called "Third Place" and I never really thought about the name until just now :)
My third place is my art studio. I work mainly with clay (which is a wonderful, emotional medium for the beginner or experienced), which requires a dedicated space. I started out taking classes at an art center, became an associate there with 24-hr access to the shared space, and then moved on to the residency program with my own studio in a cooperative setting. Now I have my own studio in our detached garage. Each setting has good points & bad, but I really value its separateness from my domestic and office spaces. It's like an alternative universe.
When I was working for Starbucks a few years back, they were all about creating that "third place" and promoting the "just say yes" philosophy. It was a joy to see friendships blossom between strangers who ordinarily sat alone and worked on their laptops. Even though I haven't worked there for over four years, I still keep in touch with some great customers.
"...places that aren't home and aren't work where one can go and essentially feel at ease. They're valued for building a sense of community, a sense of self, and for encouraging creativity and the free exchange of ideas."
In short, pubs.
At least, that is the function of pubs in British society -- since homes were so small, one went down to one's "local" to spend an evening with friends.
I often wonder how these coffee shops and cafe 3rd spaces make enough to stay open. The ones in my neighborhood are overrun with 'campers' who stay all day with their empty coffee cup while other customers can't get a table. I've been frustrated while standing, holding a tray with my $15 worth of lunch, mentally crossing the place off my list as a viable lunch option.
My third place is the dog park. Smack dab in the middle of the city (Minneapolis) there is a wonderful forested area along the Mississippi where dogs run free, roll in mud, or go for a swim. It's so relaxing and I always feel like my problems are so far away when I'm there. And I don't have to buy anything, except for the permit....
My third space is the Starbucks/Chapters. I love wondering through the books with a vanilla latte. I also agree with Duane Hill about parks being an excellent non-commercial space to enjoy. When I lived in Toronto, I used to walk up and down Yonge St as a way to relax between work and going home. It was a commercial area, but window shopping and being on the street with other people was a nice difference.
My third space bar/restaurant just went out of business when the landlord raised the rent on them. The bar tender and the musicians all knew us. The last night it was open was pretty depressing.
I'm also with K.Luna in that the barn where I take lessons (I don't own a horse) is a great third space. The women I ride with are enthusiastic and supportive of each other and we go out to dinner about once a month. Plus, you know, horses, goats, pigs, alpacas, cats, and dogs to love. :) In college I volunteered at the Humane Society to have a place to go to walk dogs and cuddle cats.
@sckaptein - I know what you are mean by wondering through the books with a latte. But, that can hardly be condusive to any work. Besides, if you hold your latter in one hand that leaves only one hand for the book. Not very practical (at least my my point of view).
Here in Waterloo the Starbucks section at Chapters has only a limited number of small tables and I am the type who would be unable to concentrate on work in such environment (I work in an office so it is not really my problem but I often wonder how anyone can get anything done in a coffee shop). I guess we are all different.
I definitely understand the need of having a third place because on the rare occasions when I work from home I always think I would not able to do it on an everyday basis.
My third space is the horse barn. Also our neighborhood swimming pool. Nothing like being able to escape for a bit of quiet space.
I am very blessed to live in a neighborhood with multiple coffeeshops, a bookstore and a library within ten minutes' walk. I also attend yoga, but going to a class just isn't the same as really having time at liberty, however enjoyable the class may be. I wish there were more such spaces, definitely. Happily in New Orleans we also have a very high number of community festivals that are free to enter; while items are sold there, if you want to just wander through, people watch and listen to music, you may.
My third space is the zoo. I have a year pass and it's a short walk so it's like my backyard away from home. Sometimes I'll take morning/ late afternoon walks there, or read. They have beautiful shaded sidewalks with gorgeous landscaping, gazebos on the water, a pond with ducks and swans, and plenty of benches and boulders.
Sometimes I'll go have a beer there too since they started serving it. Some nice restaurants and junkfood stands. There's a Starbucks there too.
Totally agree with the importance of a 3rd space - it's why my husband & I felt comfortable buying such a tiny house. We live in such an urban area (4 libraries, several parks, tons of restaurants, dozens of coffee shops) all within a 10 minute walk, so we figured we'd always have an "extra room" at our disposal should we need to get out of each other's hair for a bit. So far it's worked out perfectly, and we're always making new friends in these shared spaces!
OMG Manders23, that was my line as well LOL.
My dog park is situated on the river where all the yachts come by, I have my friends and all the dogs and at the end of every day that's the best place to unwind for the day.
@Canadianmango, I don't think WORKING from a "third space" is the integral concept -- it's just one way to use a third space. Hobbies, web surfing on a laptop, playing chess, reading, sipping that latte (with or without a book), people watching... just BEING in a third space and chilling out counts.
As a librarian, our recent (last summer) renovation project (for which I was project manager) was all about improving our space for functionality, aesthetics, ambiance, and to improve our 'third space" effectiveness. One change in that regard was to put in hard flooring (instead of carpeting) in an area just inside the door so that, after years of requiring people to take beverages outside, now they have a "cafe" area with little tables where they can use wi-fi or read or chat quietly with a coffee without breaking any rules.
Some libraries (not ours) even make coffee and other comestibles available! Worth investigating! (Plus we offer programs, books, DVDs, music CDs, books on CD, graphic novels, magazines, and more!)
I too have found myself craving a public place that was not based on consumption. Parks are great, but they require decent weather. There are lots of malls, both indoor and outdoor, in my area, but I would rather not be surrounded by shops when I'm trying to connect with other human beings. This was one of the reasons why I joined the Unitarian church. I know it's not for everyone, but I'm finding it a great place to connect with people on a totally different level.
There's a cafe in Oakland called Actual Cafe (as in not a place to bring your laptop but an actual cafe). They've worked hard to become a "third space"; hosting movie nights, craft nights, laptop-free weekends, etc. I don't live near them or I'd probably spend a ton of time there.
We often hang out at our local libraries and parks, and have memberships to several museums. These are the spaces that expand our living area beyond our home. This summer, I plan on beginning some pottery classes as well--I can picture that growing into another interest and becoming another home-away-from-home in my life!
@mschatelaine -
Agreed wholeheartedly! It seems like a lot of places people consider 'third spaces' aren't really spots where you socialize with others- i.e- most coffee shops are full of people with their headphones on or glued to their laptops, even though that's arguably the most important aspect of the third space. I know that I didn't fully comprehend what it meant to have a third space until I moved somewhere with a pub around the corner- complete with an everyone-knows-everyone-else crowd; and a very solid place in the community.
It's surprisingly important to have a place where people go to drink, debate, gossip, watch the game, etc and where you finally have a chance to meet and share a beer with the chefs/servers at your favorite restaurant, the guy who owns the hardware store and the neighborhood's crazy cat lady; and creates an amazing sense of community for everyone in the neighborhood.
My third space(s):
1. the bike trail
2. the library
3. the thrift shop
In each venue, I'm likely to run into people I know.
Coffee shops are fun once in a while, but as a regular hangout they'll drain your wallet fairly rapidly.
Libraries, libraries, libraries! Yes, it's been mentioned, but libraries were the original interweb, since on your way to getting a book you had looked up in the stacks, you could so easily get sidetracked by another you happened to notice on the shelf. Just like looking up a word in an actual book dictionary, you could see other words as well, which doesn't happen with targeted word searches, or at least not in the same dreamy way. A library + time = pure exhilarating intellectual freedom.
the pool in my apartment complex. i've been grilling dinner every evening and swimming on weekends! although its only really a third place in summer...
I like to visit my parents; I think of that as a third space since I have my own family now. It's one of the few places I feel as comfortable bringing my little ones as I do in my own home.
Third spaces like coffee shops and libraries tend to be super overcrowded where I live in the 'burbs, since there are so few, and there is no anonymity when you live in your hometown and it can be hard to relax if you know everyone in the place from high school.
Sometimes, I miss small city living.
I was thinking I was the only one who didn't have a "third space," but then I realized that "jam night" IS my third space. Basically any place I can take my guitar and play music/connect with other musicians - it's not a paid gig for me, but it's not being home alone "woodshedding" either, so it's a different energy altogether. There are a few regular, public jams in my city, one (in a pub) I almost always attend, and a few others (a couple in bars, one in a coffee shop, one in the local AA clubhouse - sure, why not!) I head to occasionally, if the urge to play/mingle strikes.
Many people I know that work from home seek out outdoor workspace in good weather. A picnic table at the beach works for me, or the hammock in my back yard. Technology being so mobile nowadays, think outside the coffee shop.
I am not so lucky to be allowed to work from home on my day job, so I do my personal work in my third space. For the day job, necessity has dictated several airports become my third space. Some try harder than others to fill this need with small work kiosks and lounges.
My husband works from home, and so do I. He frequently goes to a coffee shop with his other co-worker who works from home who lives in the area, and that's definitely their "second" place. They get a lot of stuff done. I work at home so I can be with my 21 month old, so I don't really get a second place :/
As someone living in a "foreign" country, finding third spaces is a huge coping technique! It's a way to become a familiar face in a world that doesn't recognize you. There was a coffee shop down the street when I was living in Germany, and just going there on a regular basis made me familiar to others regulars in my town. Genuine connections were created there, and when I think about missing Germany, I miss the coffee shop!
This is a very timely post for me. I just finished teaching for the year, so I'm suddenly spending a lot more time at home. I know I get cabin fever when I'm home too much, so this article reminded me to seek out other spaces and get out of the house. I'm working on my master's degree and there are some nice spaces at my college where I can read, relax, etc. I'm lucky enough to have a library and Central Park nearby, so hopefully I can avoid spending money at Starbucks just to get out of the house.