The term “third place” was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place to describe spaces that are neither home (first place) nor work (second place) but are essential for community building, social interaction and a sense of belonging. Examples of third places include cafés, parks, libraries, community centres and playgrounds.
The Eight Qualities of a Third Place
According to Oldenburg, true Third Places share these traits:
- Neutral Ground: Everyone is welcome. No one “owns” the space and people can come and go freely.
- Leveller: Social status disappears. Kids, youth, parents, elders—everyone is equal and everyone is welcome.
- Conversation hub: People talk, laugh, listen, connect. It is an informal, free-flowing social exchange.
- Accessible and Inclusive: Easy to access, comfortable to use, encouragement to stay.
- The Regulars: People return often. Familiar faces and frequent users become community.
- Low Profile: It’s not flashy or pretentious, just comfortable for all.
- Playful: The environment and atmosphere encourages lightness, joy and spontaneity
- Home Away From Home: People feel a sense of belonging. A space of comfort, trust and ease.
At Third Place Design, we translate these social principles into spatial design. We create recreational environments that move beyond functionality to become a third place, inviting people to play, connect, interact and return.
Design That Brings People Together
Our work lives at the intersection of landscape architecture, community wellbeing and child development. We design intergenerational, inclusive, nature-integrated recreational spaces that serve human needs.
You’ll find third place principles embedded in all of our design philosophies:
- Through Connection and Belonging, we create spaces where everyone feels welcome, supporting intuitive movement and layered interaction.
- Through Imagination and Discovery, we honour curiosity, learning and surprise, aiming to spark curiosity and creative expression across generations.
- Through Play for All, we empower people—especially children and youth—to challenge themselves in safe, supported ways and encourage engagement through sensory and self-directed experiences.
- Through Designing with Nature, we honour the natural world, working with topography, mature trees and existing site features to enhance the ecosystem rather than erase it.
These principles, together, form our design DNA.
Why This Matters Now
In a world of increasing disconnection—digital overload, rising urban density and a loneliness epidemic—creating meaningful public space matters more than ever. This is more than “activating” space. It’s about intentionally designing it for people. For community. For real life.
Beyond simple functionality, we design for humans. That means designing opportunities for play. For laughter. For friendship. For intergenerational bonding. For teens who need space to just be. For adults who crave calm. For cultures to be seen. For every person to feel they belong.
Because when we design for third places, we design for what makes us human.
Who Can Help Create a Third Place?
Whether we’re working with landscape architects and designers, councils and local government, urban and property developers, schools or education providers, our goal remains the same: to create recreational environments that become the heart of a community.
We’re not here to build the biggest, brightest, flashiest play structure. We’re here to build the kind of place where people gather on a Tuesday afternoon for no reason at all, except that it feels good to be there.
That’s a third place. And we’d love to create one with you.
Working with Third Place Design
We don’t just create third places. For our collaborators, clients and community, we aim to be a third place, with a studio fuelled by human connection, creative freedom, and shared purpose.
- All people feel welcome and equal, whether they’re collaborators, clients or community.
- There’s conversation and collaboration at the heart of our process.
- It’s a space where playfulness, curiosity and purpose co-exist.
- It supports return and ritual; people want to be part of what we’re creating and building our momentum together
In time, our studio will become a physical third place too; a gathering space, a co-design hub, a community porch for people who believe in better public spaces. A place for bold ideas and barefoot discovery. For quiet moments and wild thinking. A community of changemakers.
Dani Eastwood
Dani Eastwood is Head of Brand for Third Place Design. She works with councils, landscape architects and developers to create bold, bespoke play environments.
With 15+ years’ experience in business development, brand strategy and project delivery, she blends strategic thinking with a passion for nature-inspired, unstructured play—helping shape some of Australia’s most iconic adventure destinations.