Decluttering of the Third Place

17 September 2021

The third place is known as a space where people can build psychological and emotional relationships with each other. If our homes are the first place, and work or school is the second place, then spaces like cafes, social media platforms, and basically everything else that doesn’t fall into the first two can be third places.

Our understanding of space typologies has changed again

During the pandemic, we had to live, work, study, and play almost everything virtually while at home. We built mini-inner cities at home, while staying away from actual city spaces.

The third place is where we go to be away from the first two places, but with everything combining into one place, how do we segregate our lives? Space typologies are being redefined too since we can now #workfromanywhere.

Before the pandemic we were flushed with excitement of the possibilities of co-living and social living spaces. Then when the pandemic hit, debates about whether productivity is higher in the office versus elsewhere versus a hybrid model heated up, changing our understanding of co-living and social living spaces again. What then happens when we enter an endemic phase?

Can space typologies help address mental health and issues faced by the elderly?

The topic of mental health featured prominently in these discussions. Students and the working population alike had to deal with serious issues and we’re still searching for the best way to stay safe but also not lose our sanity.

The elderly were greatly affected when we suddenly had to do everything we used to do in other spaces at home. They were the sector of the population that were encouraged to stay at home the most because they were at highest risk of contracting the virus. Some felt intimidated by technology, which the younger generation took to very well. How will the shifts in the way we use our spaces affect them?

Will it be economically viable for the private sector and designers to step in and develop spaces that can benefit society? Our design chiefs Kokyong Chew, Berlin Lee (co-founders of Afternaut), and Alan Tay (co-founder of Formwerkz Architects) came together to discuss and raise some very crucial points on the impact of the changing third place as a result of the pandemic.

See what key questions were raised on The Afternaut’s website.

ULI’s mission is to share the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. We harness the expertise and drive of our members to share experience-based lessons learned. We thank Afternaut for sharing its perspectives with fellow ULI members.