Third Places
Lost and Found: Fighting Loneliness With Parks and Third Places
To combat the epidemic of loneliness, Susan Henderson's evocative photos of “third places” reflect on how these spaces have evolved and their importance in fostering connection.
Reports of the Third Place’s Death are Greatly Exaggerated
Starbucks is shifting to more drive-throughs and less comfy armchairs, but that doesn’t mean the demand for common spaces outside of home and work is waning.
Third Spaces and Public Life
Public parks, libraries, and other social infrastructure foster community connections and stave off loneliness. Why are they increasingly deprioritized in civic life?
Revisiting ‘Third Places’ as a Pandemic Recovery Tool
In Chuck Wolfe's latest piece on downtown recovery for GeekWire, he proposes revisiting a multifaceted ‘third place’ agenda as a focus for downtown recovery.
Ode to Third Places
Urban strategist Michele Reeves writes about the of third places importance in the urban fabric.
McDonald's: Where the Nation Feels Welcome
McDonald's takes a lot of heat for the quality of the food, but most Americans still associate the fast food giant's restaurants, and others like it, with family, community, and good times.
Customers Seeking "Third Places" Give McDonald's a Second Thought
Climate controlled public places where the elderly, cost-conscious and indigent are welcome to spend a few hours are hard to find. Tensions have erupted at McDonald’s restaurants in NYC between customers seeking a refuge and business interests.
Why the Titans of Tech Must Become Better Urbanists
Technology companies are increasing their presence in cities, adopting the language of planners, and seeking to create communities. Yet, according to Allison Arieff, the sector does a uniformly poor job of contributing to urban vitality.
To Create a Great 'Third Place', Get Out of the Way
For far too long, the shaping of public spaces has been left to architects and urban planners, who plan from the top down. The most successful projects involve people directly in deciding how their public spaces will look, feel, and operate.
BOOK REVIEW: For the Love of Cities
Urbanist Peter Kageyama's new book suggests that the "loveability" of a city as a factor in its success is greatly underappreciated. Mike Lydon has this review.
"No Net Loss" for Third Places?
Amid the dissolution of Borders bookstores in urban centers, Chuck Wolfe urges policymakers and the private market to assure "no let loss" in the spirit of natural resource protection to assure third places remain available in American cities.
The Joy of Working in Coffee Shops
Malcolm Gladwell and others attest to the effectiveness of working in restaurants, coffee shops and bars, and why it works.
The Magic of a Passageway
A humble passageway through a building to a parking lot became a favorite public space with just a deli, a Starbucks, and some patio tables.
Rethinking Supermarkets
Supermarkets of the future may become the center of neighborhood life, predicts planner Mark Hinshaw.
Is a Digital Neighbor as Good as the Real Thing?
Can Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace replace the neighborhood bar, cafe, or hangout? Mary Newsom says no.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
