The pandemic has changed our priorities. Flexibility around our working lives and the way we socialise is becoming increasingly important, and these shifts to our working patterns are demanding more dynamic and fluid spaces to operate in.
Comfortable enough to relax in, calm enough to work in and with enough buzz to provide a social atmosphere, ‘third spaces’ are fulfilling multiple in-between roles that our homes and traditional office spaces can’t. Third spaces are no longer the preserve of coffee shops – other types of brands and service providers are stepping into the ring and providing dynamic spaces that meet our changing needs.
Yet even as we crave more freedom in the wake of a pandemic that has changed how we operate, the cost of living crisis is putting financial pressure on our ability to exercise it. As a result, some new third space initiatives put an emphasis on backing the communities and causes they align with, providing spaces for communities to come together, and blending commerce with purpose in a meaningful way.
Third spaces offer a third way for people to explore freedom and informality outside the instituted forms of sociability. They come with an emotional dimension of fluidity and spontaneity that escapes the rigidity of other spaces. All that’s needed is reliable Wi-Fi, suitable furniture, tasty coffee, the option of privacy, decent music, and plenty of plug sockets.
Below we highlight five very different third spaces blurring the boundaries of work and play, commerce, productivity and purpose.
“Before the pandemic I arranged my whole life around work, but coming out of the pandemic, I need work to work around my life.”
Anthony Klotz, organisational psychologist who predicted and coined the ‘Great Resignation’
VITRA
Furniture designer Vitra has set up its UK HQ in the Tramshed building in Shoreditch, and it’s fully open to the public. It works as an office for employees, a showroom for the brand, and as a coffee shop and workspace for visitors. The open-door policy approach takes visitors on a storytelling journey of transparency and collaboration. Upstairs, a calm open plan space has room for breakout areas, individual working, and client calls, while downstairs a white box space acts as a blank canvas for exhibitions.
ANYA HINDMARCH
Anya Hindmarch’s third space is a brand fantasy: a five-store village in the heart of London’s Belgravia. Opened in 2021, the mini department store consists of a café, a space focused on sustainability, another focused on organisation, a bespoke store, and a rotating ‘village hall’ concept space which is continually redesigned and reopened to fulfil different roles throughout the year (it debuted as a hairdresser, than a greengrocer, and is currently a collaboration space with the Dye Lab). Each of the spaces offers a different perspective on the brand, while the smaller size of each provides a more ‘local’ rather than global feel, while giving customers a reason to linger and explore different aspects of the brand’s story.
CHICK-FIL-A
Fast food chain Chick-fil-A launched a third space pop-up to provide better conditions for delivery workers and employees. Alongside its New York City restaurant operators, the restaurant opened The Brake Room on the Upper East Side of Manhattan as a limited-time space offering a moment of respite for food delivery workers, giving them access to bathrooms, bike storage, phone charging outlets, seating, Wi-Fi and beverages.
NOURISH HUB
Nourish Hub is reaching local communities and teaching healthy cooking. The hub acts as a food bank that is also a drop-in space for the community to practice cooking skills and learn about nutrition. Local residents can also access help from Nourish Hub’s staff to access jobs in the food industry. The space aims to bring together the social nature of sharing knowledge about food with formal training opportunities.
ESC
Korean design studio SMON has opened ESC, a space-themed concept store and café featuring a curated selection of artworks, drinks, collectibles and NFTs that fit the theme. A vending machine at the back sells ESC (Extraterrestrial Space Corporation) merchandise and a curated selection of SMON’s favourite products. The flexible space provides a way for customers to get up close and personal with the studio’s vision and aesthetic. As well as places to sit and work or socialise during the day, a fully equipped DJ booth and the venue’s striking decor also provide the perfect backdrop for evening events.
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