Third Place — How A Patch of Land Can Affect Your Way of Life
I think some of us wonder what it feels like to live abroad, especially in the so-called “First World Country”. Well, I am fortunate enough to have done that. When I was a student, I received the prestigious IISMA scholarship to study Sustainable Business Management in Porto, Portugal for 5 months.
As someone who was born and raised in Samarinda, a not-so-big-but-not-that-small-either of a city in East Kalimantan with no proper city planning and public transport facilities, Porto was definitely a huge upgrade. But, what caught my eyes was not the antique architecture and its majestic cityscape. It was actually the simple way of life they lived, anchored by their human-focused city planning.
As an International Relations student who was focused on sustainability studies, Porto intrigued me. I want to know more and dig deeper. That’s when I found out about the term “Third Place”. In sociology, Third Place refers to a public space where people can gather outside of their home and work. This place functioned as a medium to connect with others, share interests, and build relationships. What I found fascinating is that, once people found their “third place”, they would literally build an emotional attachment to that place and would go there much more frequently to feel that sense of belonging. So, if you ever feel connected to THAT one cafe, park, or even your gym, it’s actually a normal thing, and maybe it’s a sign that you found your third place.
Going back to the case of Porto. Public parks, libraries, and other public facilities are so easy to access compared to what I experienced in Indonesia. Everything was designed intentionally to promote human interactions — thus strengthened your sense of belonging and your sense of community. Public places there are much simpler, as if they are actually built for humans, not for some politicians seeking political accolades that they can brag for in the next election, or for some people to take pictures from and upload it to social media to get their “I’ve been here badge”. They have no big signs with bright lights, giant fences separating them from the streets, there are no gigantic monuments that are built with no apparent reason. They are just a simple space, a small patch of land with grass, benches, and street lights, and maybe with a little bit of decoration here and there but that’s it. It’s your job to make it special by living there.
In Porto, I found my third place, it’s called Jardim do Morro. It’s a small park in Vila Nova de Gaia facing the city of Porto and the Douro River. I go there several times a week. Why? I don’t really know, but that’s the beauty, I didn’t have to have a reason to go there. Maybe because it was convenient to go there due to it not having fences, maybe because there’s a lot of people there, or maybe it casted a spell on me to go there, I don’t know. Everytime I go there, I feel this sense of warmth that I am actually in a place where I belong. In turn, any activity I did there, whether it was talking to my friends, being alone, talking to strangers, doing my assignments, or even making music there, felt welcoming.
This case happened not only in Porto, a lot of cities in Europe put public spaces as one of their top priorities. The government actually views public space as a right for people to have and as a way to improve the people’s quality of life. So, with that in mind, how can we recreate this situation to our country? How can we build a proper city planning that revolves around its people? How can we create a third place that can be the epicentrum of spirit of life for cities?
Firstly, third place must put public interest at its center. This place has to be able to accommodate and promote people’s interaction. The architect should go to the community and identify what it needs and what are their priorities. Every detail must be considered. It should consider how people sit while they are alone, when they are with their partner, and in group settings. It should consider the weather in that area. It even goes far to consider what is the people’s view when they are there.
Secondly, accessibility. A third place will not be a third place with its people. Third places should be readily accessible. They have to be located conveniently, ideally within walking distance. Not only that, they have to be able to be accessed at any time. It also has to be able to accommodate people with disabilities.
Thirdly, atmosphere. Third places have to be welcoming and provide warmth. It’s a place for you to release tension from the stress of life. Third places can act as a playground to do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t disturb the other. The atmosphere should allow you to express yourself comfortably, whether by talking with people, listening to music, or just being there.
Lastly, third places have to be lowkey. During my research, this point stood out to me. Third places felt like home. It has to be located in a modest place. You shouldn’t feel snobby when you’re there. I think this is one point that the Indonesian government should pay attention more. Public places here felt like a showcase of the government’s work. Everything has to be labelled with bright and colorful signs. It has to have some kind of monument with RGB lights that actually hurt your eyes when you’re there for long enough.
I know you might say “But those lights and monuments can bring people in and this park can act as a tourism destination” to that I say, maybe you’re right. Still, there are time and places for that. The government’s mindset when it comes to third places should be creating a place for you to connect with your community and to improve the community’s quality of life. They should prioritize the needs of the community over a way to show off their work because third places should be the standard, not a privilege that only a few can have.
The importance of third place goes way beyond the need for an open space. A proper third place can build a sense of community that can improve people’s way of life. It can be a place for communities to express themselves. It’s not only a patch of land with grass, it’s a home away from home.
Things to explore:
https://www.jordanharbinger.com/why-you-need-a-third-place-and-how-to-find-one/
https://frenchmoments.eu/benches-of-paris/
