Third Places – Creating unique meeting and business places

Are you looking for inspirations on how you can create long-term impact in your placemaking process? Check out the free publication on sustainable placemaking models in Oslo by the Nabolagshager team.

One of the research results the Nabolagshager team had is that third spaces are used to create meeting places over longer period of times.

What are Third Places?

Third places were coined as aconcept by the sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1977 to describe public gathering places beyond the home and work place which invite both regular and one-time guests. They serve the local community and neighbourhood to create a place to gather, exchange information, be social and have meetings. Third places can range from bookshops with a café, to beer gardens and vary in their functions, programmes and target groups (Oldenburg2003).

What is the goal of Third Places?

The goal behind creating third places is creating a unique meeting place with and for the community that is sociable, accessible, welcoming and affordable, and importantly addresses the local community’s needs(Oldenburg 2003). This provides the business with outstanding qualities which can make it more attractive given the increase in e-commerce (Vink 2018). The combination of a café, restaurants and renting out facilities for various events can be understood as a service business model (Baden-Fuller 2017).Third places often offer visitors, organisations, and companies a variety of services they can purchase besides the place being often free of entrance charge. Creating a bundle of services makes third places (more) profitable and also provides users with opportunities to fulfill their needs.

Who is involved?

Local businesses and local community actors play a key role in third places.Without them, third places could not survive, so both businesses and community member play an equally important role in keeping the place lively (Steigemann 2016).

Kulturhuset,Youngs & Skatten

Kulturhuset started as a temporary Oslo-based project in June 2013and transformed into Norway's most active culture house. It welcomes everyone to join Oslo's open office community, play games, enjoy coffee, healthy and sustainable food during day and night time, concerts, debates, bars, DJ sets, beer tasting, and a variety of different activities. It provides spaces for mingling, exchanging, hanging out, and working and it is accessible and vibrant.The concept of creating a space people can meet for a breakfast or lunch meeting, have an after-work beer, party, play and relax is popular among Osloites and visitors. Therefore, the concept was extended to the residential area Tøyen where Skatten opened, and to Youngstorget where Youngs welcomes guests - while these are smaller locations, they hold thesame concept.

Prindsen Hage

Prindsen Hage is located in a backyard in Oslo's city centre. A greenhouse, foodtrucks, bars and a variety of games like chess, table tennis, petanque and boules, and hammocks welcome visitors. During winter, an ice skating rink, lavvos, fires, and a Christmas market attract Osloites and visitors.

References

Baden-Fuller, Charles et al. 2017. “Business Models and Value: AnalyticalComparisons of Scalable Solutions and Digital Platforms.” Academy ofManagement Proceedings.Enge, Caroline. 2017.

"Pengemaskiner ved Youngstorget, Aftenposten,published 15th July 2017, online avaliable:https://www.aftenposten.no/osloby/i/nqO6a/pengemaskinen-ved-youngstorget

Kulturhuset. 2020. Online available: https://kulturhusetioslo.no/en/kulturhuset-2.