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PHOTO | DEATH TO STOCK | MARISA SMITH
THE EVOLUTION, MONETISATION AND FAILURE OF THIRD PLACES
Culture | Written: Wairimu Njoroge
25.09.25
Do third places still serve their intended purpose in today’s society? Increasingly, the conversation has shifted from simply lamenting the absence of third places to recognising that they haven’t entirely disappeared, but they have evolved. Yet, the spaces that have emerged in their place often fail to embody the original spirit of what a third place truly is. Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg, who popularised the concept, defined third places as public, accessible environments where informal, voluntary, and regular social interaction naturally occurs. Think of it as the living rooms of society, distinct from our homes, the first place, and our workplaces, the second. Traditionally, cafes, libraries, parks, pubs, or community halls functioned this way, offering neutral ground where a sense of being could be developed, relationships could be nurtured, and ideas exchanged (Unesco, 2025).
Oldenburg’s Eight Characteristics of Third Places
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Neutral ground: people are free to come and go as they please, with little obligation to other participants
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Leveller: spaces in which an individual’s status in society is not important. Acceptance and participation are not contingent on any prerequisite or requirement, or proof of membership
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Conversation: In third places, conversation is a main focus of activity
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Accessibility and accommodation: must be easy to access and be accommodating to those who frequent them
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The regulars: third places include regulars who attract newcomers and give the space a characteristic mood
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A low profile: places are characteristically homely and without pretension
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Mood is playful: the general mood in third places is playful and marked by verbal word play and wit
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A home away from home: third places are home-like in terms of the defining traits: rootedness, feelings of possession, spiritual regeneration, feelings of being at ease and warmth
(Oldenburg, 1997)
Cafes are hosting listening sessions, coffee raves, and social clubs are on the rise. Is this the new era of third places?
In today’s society, third places have undergone significant reshaping. Evolving from where they were once informal, low-cost spaces for connection. Now, many lean heavily towards the curation of experiences. With that comes ticketing, costs and exclusivity. This has resulted in such places becoming more expensive and consequently less accessible for frequent engagement. The original purpose of the third place was to be a low-cost or free environment and not contingent on spending money. Transactional structures have diluted this; spontaneous interactions are now mediated by purchases.
Third places have also become less conducive to socialising; commercialisation in this sense also narrows down the communication that is likely to happen within these spaces (Vikas, 2010). Without a neutral ground, the opportunity for casual conversations with strangers or people outside of an individual's immediate circle is lost. Instead, interaction is more likely to take place under social protection, where we engage only within carefully curated, like-minded communities. While this feels safe, it erodes the diversity of connection that third places originally offered. The result? We are left paying $30 to talk to the same people.
The evolution of third places and the shift into curated, often transactional experiences not only change how we gather, it alter what connection means. Spaces that once were informal and accessible are now increasingly designed around consumption. Community becomes something you buy into rather than inhabit. This weakens community bonds, turning connections into a commodity that is measured by memberships and purchases. At the same time, with the failure of communication outside of social protection, our tendency to interact only within safe, like-minded environments reinforces such a dynamic. Instead of a shared sense of belonging, we lose the benefits that true third places once offered.
Vikas, M. (2010). Third Places and the Social Life of Streets. Environment and Behavior - ENVIRON BEHAV. 42. 779-805. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249624412_Third_Places_and_the_Social_Life_of_Streets
UNESCO. (2025, March 21). Third places, true citizen spaces. https://courier.unesco.org/en/articles/third-places-true-citizen-spaces
Oldenburg, R. (1997) Our vanishing “third places”, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS JOURNAL. https://plannersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/1997/01/184.pdf