The modern world is disconnected. Online interactions dominate the daily lives of people across the world. This shift is not just a result of the rise of the internet, but also a stark reflection of the decline of public spaces, particularly third places. Third places, once essential for promoting community and social cohesion, have evolved drastically over the past few decades. In today's commercialized landscape, third places face plenty of demands from users and designers alike, calling for a need to reconsider their accessibility and purpose.
"The Great Good Place" by sociologist Ray Oldenburg featured the first mention of the term "third place", the writing being a response to the privatization of domestic life driven by urban sprawl and suburban development. Oldenburg identified these spaces as distinct from our homes and places of work, initially categorizing cafés, bars, libraries, barbershops, parks, and other locations where locals would gather to socialize outside their primary domains.
