Third Spaces
Arlington's 'pop-up park' activates a vacant plaza
Third spaces don't have to be permanent.
Thrift stores, public libraries and genderless bathrooms: How public amenities become trans infrastructure
Amenities like ample public transit, affordable retail and non-gendered bathroom spaces can make cities more safe and welcoming for transgender residents — and everyone else.
Public Libraries May Be More Relevant Than Ever
Libraries around the country are expanding their services in an effort to become ‘third spaces’ for the community.
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?
Can Urban Design Truly Impact Loneliness?
Some theorists want to design cities to reduce loneliness and isolation. Others want to accommodate them.
Fighting the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’ in Cities
While urban design alone can’t mend the tears in our social fabric, planning decisions and thoughtful, inclusive design can offer or hinder opportunities for interaction.
In Praise of the Endangered ‘Third Space’
The public spaces where people can spend time among strangers without buying something are crucial to healthy cities—and are quickly disappearing.
Where Have All the Third Spaces Gone?
As businesses shortened their hours during the pandemic, Philadelphia residents found themselves with fewer options for places to spend their evenings.
Stoops as a Respite in These Challenging Times
As New York City has shut down and people remain physically isolated, stoops provide spaces where residents can safely connect with others and the city itself.
Chicago Coffee Shops Breaking Social and Economic Ground on the South Side
Cafes on the city's South Side are more than just businesses. They also provide important spaces for community building and economic development in neighborhoods that have been historically overlooked.
Third Space First
The quickly growing number of third spaces is good news for both the social and the urban fabrics.
Save the Local: Neighbors in England Rally to Protect Their Pubs
With pubs across the country closing at an alarming rate, communities across England are using a recently adopted law to save their local pubs.
On the Legacy and Unfulfilled Potential of Shopping Malls
The origin story of one of the definitively American typologies—the shopping mall—is one of unintended consequences run amok. Could the next chapter of this story come closer to the author's intention?
Redefining Public Spaces for Older People
The elderly population in cities is growing, and research points to the health benefits of an active, connected lifestyle. So why are cities still so inhospitable to aging?
Making A 'Playborhood'
Mike Lanza, an entrepreneur in Palo Alto, CA, is using his front yard as a place for his friends and neighbors to gather and play. Julia Galef from the Project for Public Spaces brings us this story.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
