Beyond brick & mortar: Designing (third) places for social connections
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Authors
Kay, Olivia Hunter
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Master of Architecture (Professional)
Grantor
Unitec, Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
Date
2024
Supervisors
Schnoor, Christoph
McConchie, Graeme
McConchie, Graeme
Type
Masters Thesis
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Auckland (N.Z.)
New Zealand
third places (sociology)
community centres
social interactions
sense of place
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-
urban sociology
flaneurs in urban studies
Oldenburg, Ray (1932-2022)
Sennett, Richard (1943)
New Zealand
third places (sociology)
community centres
social interactions
sense of place
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-
urban sociology
flaneurs in urban studies
Oldenburg, Ray (1932-2022)
Sennett, Richard (1943)
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Kay, O.H. (2024) Beyond brick & mortar: Designing (third) places for social connections (Unpublished document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture (Professional)). Unitec, Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/6836
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION
How can architecture meaningfully contribute to the resurgence of inclusive and vibrant third places in the urban realm?
ABSTRACT
At its start, this project aimed to identify where people place a sense of community in the urban realm. Historically, the neighbourhood was the definitive physical marker of community, while gathering spaces like markets, squares, and plazas were where social life thrived. However, the evolution of urban fabric has fractured these traditional social structures. As modern developments continue to create greater separation between work and home, with technology enabling unprecedented mobility, the traditional cohesion of the social fabric and its dynamics have appeared to unravel. Between the realms of work and home, Ray Oldenburg’s concept of ‘third place’ describes where informal social exchange and community bonds can thrive. Through his analysis, Oldenburg explains that while some establishments may present themselves as third places, they are merely disguised as such. True third places are inherently accessible and social, where anyone can visit at any time of the day and find a sense of community or companionship.
In Auckland’s urban fabric, especially after emerging from COVID-19 isolation, people eagerly returned to the public realm only to find that many of the social establishments they patronised had closed their doors. Those that survived the fallout of the pandemic were predominantly large corporations, saturating the urban landscape with an ethos that prioritises economic gain over social capital. This shift highlights the need for accessible, convivial spaces where interpersonal connections can grow, aligning with Richard Sennett’s assertion that successful urban planning must engage with the complexities of the local social fabric. Inspired by the works of sociologists, urban planners, architects and theorists such as Kevin Lynch, Jan Gehl, and William Whyte, this project investigates how third places can materialise in Auckland’s urban context. Many of these scholars discuss cities they consider successful, prompting the research to incorporate travel studies and adopt the notion of the flâneur as a method for observing and experiencing vibrant urban environments. Through this lens, the project explores how the physical characteristics of lively cities can inform Auckland’s urban fabric. The research suggests that meaningful public spaces need not emerge from grand, rapid developments but rather from small, deliberate interventions that prioritise social connection. The project proposes a series of ‘acupunctured’ architectural interventions, recognising that no single space can meet the diverse needs of a community, but together, they can support a more connected urban life.
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