This Perkins Eastman research explores the concept of the “fourth place,” an emerging space typology that builds on concepts defined by Ray Oldenburg. Oldenburg defined three place-based typologies as the “first place” (home), “second place” (work) and “third place” (public). The “fourth place” is a new kind of environment that seamlessly combines all three functions. As part of this research with the Design Strategy team, we studied the changing of nature of work, shifting priorities and expectations, and the rise of the sharing economy that are all creating a demand for places that accommodate a wide range of tasks and activities while nurturing human connection and the community at large. We developed indicators of successful “fourth places” in order to evaluate the effectiveness of placemaking strategies that are applied to these environments. Using a multi-method approach of interviews, observational studies, and an in-depth literature review, our research examines relevant case studies to identify standards for assessing the success of these unique spaces. We presented this project in the EDRA Conference in New York City on May 2019, and the final white paper will be published soon.

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