“Landscape Regulars” - How Site Furniture Shapes Social Connection

In The Great Good Place from 1989, sociologist Ray Oldenburg introduces the concept of “third places” - informal public gathering spaces crucial for social connection outside the home (first place) and work (second place).

In 1989, Oldenburg presented cafes, bars, and bookstores as third places. Recognizing the cost to enter many of these places, more awareness of accessibility obstacles, and more diverse interests, an exemplary Third Place has emerged: urban public spaces. Free, safe, dynamic with the seasons, flexible programming, and often available 24 hours, these spaces have the unique potential to become integrated within people’s daily lives. Furthermore, if a public space allows for Third Place experiences to be born, it is the elements of the space that people touch, sit, eat, climb on–the site furniture–that encourage people to make them their own. In doing so, they can become “regulars” of the landscape itself.

Build it and They Will Come

For one, a site’s furninishing has the role of inviting users to the space. When a site’s bench faces outward towards a city’s skyline, not only does it allow for a new perspective on a familiar view, it also embraces it as a collective experience for everyone there to share. When a site’s furniture uniquely complements a restaurant’s atmosphere and food, the furniture embraces the group experience of enjoying a meal together. Or, when a site’s furniture is oriented in a fluid or converging way, it allows different groups to interact with each other. No matter the experience, the site’s elements provide the infrastructure for different connections to emerge. It’s the charm of the space that these elements provide– the unique orientation of the seating, the dynamic synergies with the surrounding activities, the furniture that may bring you closer to your neighbour–that make people recognize they aren’t alone when experiencing a space.

If good site furniture can attract users, great site furniture encourages them to come back. For families that don’t have a viable space for community meals, a public space can become a regular dining room (enter Carousel Seating). For long-distance friends that don’t see each other often, a space can be neutral ground for reconnecting. Or, for kids that need a place to be outside of home and school—without spending money– these spaces can be grounds for playing (enter Flight Tennis Table). These user groups, no matter their economic, social, or political background, can become “regulars” of a landscape–integrating themselves into the space. The elements really focus on building connection, orienting the users towards each other. Often, these spaces establish privacy, respite, and quietness in service of conversation.

While creating and building connections, a site’s furniture can also break down pre-existing barriers. Many third places of today naturally segregate children and the elderly–with accessibility obstacles, high costs, and un-welcoming atmospheres. Public spaces, with the correct site furniture–make a space highly accessible to a variety of age groups, open to the public, and facilitate a scenic environment. In contexts that typically have segregated programming by age, public spaces have the opportunity to mix user groups; for younger age groups, a site’s interactive elements can provide color, whim, and actual playscapes. For the elderly, the furnishings can provide comfort, clear routes, and a pleasant atmosphere. When designed carefully, the site furniture renders a site accessible with mobility aids (wheelchairs, walkers, crutches). To give space for each group is one thing, but it is special when there is opportunity for these two groups to integrate.

A New Age

In our era of conflicting interests and priorities, Third Places are more important than ever. With more people adopting technology in the digital age, these physical spaces are vital. In an era of political divide, neutral ground outside of a home is essential for bridging divides. And with generational gaps causing cultural rifts, spaces that integrate various groups contribute towards a better social climate. If these spaces bring people together, the site’s elements put people in conversation with each other.

“The more people visit a place, use it, and become themselves, a part of it,” Oldenburg writes, “the more it is theirs.” So, what if we allow a site to become “theirs”?