Third spaces, vibrant cities

Maturity: Well-established

Scale: Medium but meaningful

CIVIC-SCOPE Analysis
Context	Interests
Severe lack of non-commercial places to gather (libraries, parks, centres). Social isolation and "screen time" dominance. Public spaces are often neglected or co-opted.	Youth: Need safe places to hang out away from cramped homes. Elderly: Need accessible spots for community connection. Commercial Venues: May see free spaces as competition. Govt: Focuses on "big builds" over programming.
Vision	Incentives
A network of vibrant, accessible third spaces (libraries, arts venues, community hubs) in every neighbourhood. Places that foster connection, creativity, and mental well-being without a price tag.	Communities: Incentivized to use spaces if they are safe, clean, and programmed well. Artists/Creators: Incentivized to activate spaces if access is easy/free. Councils: Incentivized to build structures, but often fail to fund operations.
Challenges
Structural: For building larger third spaces, finding viable sites in dense wards (Malé/Hulhumalé) without displacing housing or paying exorbitant compensation. For building up a network of third spaces, Capacity: Recruiting, paying for, overseeing, and retaining "community managers" who can actually animate spaces (vs. just security guards who watch empty rooms). Operational: Preventing the "tragedy of the commons" – keeping spaces accessible and safe from vandalism or being coopted by gangs. For partnering with third spaces, owners being concerned about overdue expectations/costs or impression of political side-taking. Political: Sustaining funding for operations (staff/AC/electricity) is harder than getting capital for construction; risk of spaces slowly decaying. Pressures to politicize these spaces as elections approach, and the risk of being discredited if they do get politicized. Economic: Commercial pressure to monetize prime real estate makes "free" public use hard to justify on a balance sheet.
Challenge Score (1-5) Budget: 3 \| Logistics: 2-3 \| Legislative: 2 \| Political Capital: 2-3 \| Execution: 3 \| Time: 2-3 \| Stakeholders: 3 \| Risk: 2-3

Public Policy Lab's work on third spaces has already had concrete policy impact. Following circulation of our original third spaces paper, government announced a policy focus on creating a third space for youth, formalized in a Cabinet decision. A youth hub venue subsequently launched, demonstrating that advocacy grounded in clear analysis can move policy from concept to implementation. This brief builds on that work, expanding the framework to address third spaces across all demographics and scales.

City environments and community infrastructure have a real impact on the well-being, quality of life, and mental wellness of their inhabitants – similar to more "material" policies. To meet the potential of third space programs, these third spaces cannot be just established and then left alone – there will be need for a period of active campaigns, drives, incentives, events, and management to reach a tipping point where they become fully established in each community. Male' City has many great projects and programs that started well but end up fading away as the momentum faded. We feel that learning from lessons of the past emphasize that an extended hand-holding stage is crucial.

What are third spaces?

The importance of third spaces or third places – public spaces aside from just home and work/school where people feel welcome to spend their time and can interact with the wider community outside of just family and colleagues – has become increasingly accepted internationally in urban planning, sociology, and community development fields as a crucial element in fostering social cohesion and community well-being. The concept was first described by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989, and the importance of these spaces has been increasingly recognized as the urban planning and design fields moved away from vehicle-centred mass construction, toward understanding the value of elements such as a focus on walkability and 15-minute cities, integration of natural elements and greenery, harmonious design approaches, cooling designs to avoid urban heat island formation, sustainable environmental practices, and ease of public transport use.

Although this defined concept is relatively new, institutions that met many of the characteristics of third spaces play important roles throughout human history. In ancient Greece, agoras were public squares where people exchanged ideas and discussed political issues. Traditional teahouses in Imperial China provided spaces for business meetings and social interactions across different strata of society. Coffeehouses of the 17th century became known as "penny universities” because people frequented these coffeehouses for intellectual discourse and enlightening conversations on a range of issues. In Victorian Europe, ‘saloons’ at the houses of intellectuals, writers, artists, scientists, and wealthy patrons facilitated the rapid dissemination of scientific, philosophical, and literary ideas, which itself led to key innovations and advancements among those exposed to new ideas by attending saloons. Similarly, mingling in saloons led to the Lost Generation novelists who produced some of the most famous literature ever written. Even in the present, most cities that are considered vibrant and exciting to live in are ones with what we would consider a rich range of third spaces: cities where you could spend days passing time in public libraries and malls, and find art events or music shows or book launches or some other exciting thing to do on any given day or night

In his original description of third spaces, Oldenburg also introduced several key attributes that third spaces should have. They are neutral grounds, accessible to all members of a community regardless of social status or background, free for people to come and go as they please. They serve as levellers, being environments where people meet without much knowledge about their work, background, or status and where different backgrounds and classes are in a setting to interact on equal terms. The core of the third space is opportunities for organic interaction and conversations, even though third spaces also need to appeal to a wide cross-section of society and be a conducive space for all sorts of activities and ways to spend time. The atmosphere should mostly be light-hearted and focused more on being around members of the community, rather than having a focus on ‘productivity’ – for example, book clubs, film clubs all-age cooking or art classes, creative writing workshops, art exhibits, music shows, guest lectures, or quiz trivia events fit the theme, while activities such as business entrepreneurship guidance would fit more within the already existing network of BCC spaces such as the SME Hub, Seed, or other innovation hubs. Third spaces should be open, easy to access, and accommodating to people from all walks of life, including having accessibility for people with disabilities or the elderly. Being easy to go to and from these spaces would be a benefit, such as having them be close to public transport hubs. They generally have a lower profile, with a feel that is more relaxed and harmonious rather than very formal or extravagant. Oldenburg also notes the value of these spaces having regulars, who set the tone and act as an anchor that welcomes and guides new or infrequent visitors into community connections and activities.

Not every third space will meet all of these characteristics. A thriving city will have a wide range of third spaces, with different sizes and different degrees of supervision and different levels of service, at different costs for establishment and upkeep. Along with having larger third spaces with free-of-cost entry designed to meet all of these needs for the whole city, such as public libraries or community centres, there is also value in having a web of smaller and lower-maintenance third spaces and venues closer to individual neighbourhoods and local communities, ensuring that there’s somewhere to spend time within walking distance for everyone. Examples of third spaces can vary widely depending on the cultural and social context. These can to some extent include cafes, libraries, workout or sports spaces, community centres, malls, food courts, public carnivals or festivals, playground areas, bookstores, parks, and cinemas. In an ideal form, all of these can serve on some level as hubs of informal public life. In particular, libraries are a crucial part of the makeup of a healthy and thriving city that serves all of its residents8Footnote reference.

In practice, an ideal approach – and what we recommend across this brief – is a mix of approaches. This includes private establishments like cafes, food courts, malls, boulevards, cinemas, or even more niche ‘hangout spots’ like bowling alleys, where the existing owners and management can partner up with government bodies and make small changes to encourage community use, as well as small public spaces or mini-venues that can be supported by local vendors or volunteers, medium-sized venues, public outdoor and indoor spaces, and public libraries or community centres.

The state’s role here is not to decide which particular café or venue should succeed. It is to make room for third spaces and to support them with light, predictable rules. That can mean zoning that allows small shops and cafés at ground level in residential buildings, cheaper and simpler licensing for non-alcoholic venues that host events, small grants or tax relief for community cultural spaces and active programming of public libraries, halls and parks. Many of these steps cost little compared to large capital projects, but they have a big impact on whether people feel they have somewhere to go that is not home or work.

The need for third spaces

In thinking of communities as ecosystems where various institutions play supporting roles, having importing development models from foreign countries and just omitting those unsuitable to our society rather than developing culturally suitable alternative institutions which could replace their role in the community ecosystem is a factor. Establishing bars or pubs is of course not an option for the Maldives, but the overall role that those spaces play in community building of neighbourhoods in other countries by having low-pressure environments where social interaction was normalized, activities like pub trivia nights were commonly held, and people within a neighbourhood across social and class dynamics and demographics were likely to interact consistently. this observation is not advocating for alcohol-legal spaces, but rather highlighting the absence of institutions filling the role in the community ecosystem that are common third spaces found in other communities. The available options for many are cafes and shisha lounges.

These don’t meet the requirements of an ideal third places either. The social norms in these places typically discourage interaction beyond one's immediate group, limiting their effectiveness as true third spaces. It is rare for people to interact with anyone outside their existing social groups. These venues function more as places to spend time with people you already know, rather than a way to meet new people. Cafes and lounges also require people to spend money just to have a suitable third space in the public sphere. These expenses can add up, especially for people with smaller incomes or paying high rents, but even if the costs were small it's still unsuitable on principle that people don’t have an option for what should be a basic civic right that doesn’t require them to spend money just to access it. These spaces aren’t as conducive to elderly people or families with children either, and don’t create spaces suitable for intergenerational interactions and building of community ties. It is also worth noting that the prevalence of shisha lounges as one of the few relaxed social spaces does indirectly encourage increased use of nicotine, which isn’t ideal from a public health and policy perspective.

Cultural events and public gatherings, which could serve as transient third spaces, are infrequent by the standards of a vibrant and thriving capital city, and often limited to large-scale events. There is a gap in more and smaller events that could provide ongoing opportunities for interaction and engagement within and across communities. A general mindset toward public events is for larger-scale productions that need to relatively big audience counts to be sustainable, whether its to turn a profit on tickets for profit, or to justify the logistics, organizing, and staffing costs and time spent for events held by organizations. This gap in regular, smaller events is partly a lack of an established and encouraged arts policy to support a local scene with the capacity to sustain a constant event calendar, and partly due to the scarcity of smaller venues that can sustain smaller events or shows, meaning small productions don't need to be able to sell out a bigger venue to be sustainable.

The city's only cinema, with its limited offerings and lack of communal waiting areas, fails to serve as an effective third space. While art exhibits occur regularly, their formal, gallery-style presentation discourages the kind of casual interaction and community building that characterizes effective third spaces. There is only one local cinema, with limited offerings and not the best conditions, and with no actual space outside the cinema halls where people can wait around the way the way that people often do with cinemas abroad. There are regular art exhibits, but these are usually gallery-style events where talking to strangers would be frowned upon and quiet observation is encouraged, which makes them valuable as a source of enrichment and vibrancy within a city, but doesn’t make them a suitable third space for a community. There is a lack of more communal-style art events, such as fair-style exhibits or convention-style events with music, refreshments, and casual seating areas where people can browse at their leisure. Other common spaces like bowling alleys are also not really present as ‘hangout spots’.

In cities across the world, public libraries serve as key institutions in providing community third spaces, offering safe and comfortable environments with books, research materials, and internet access that benefit students, those in poverty, and marginalized individuals. The city’s public library, the National Library of Maldives, is also not an ideal third space in its current state. While it used to serve as such a space for the community back when it had its own premises and was open at nighttime where families, children, students, youth, and employed adults could best make use of it, the National Library has been housed since 2012 in an office space that was originally intended as temporary, and has faced staffing and funding challenges leading it to close at 6pm and be unavailable in evenings where there would be the most demand and need for third spaces.

While there has been investment in sports complexes, these alone do not fulfil the role of a third space, where you’re free to spend your own time doing any range of activity without needing to already be there as part of a specific activity. There are developed outdoor spaces and park areas, from the area around Rasfannu up to the central park and playground areas in Hiya Flats. While parks and outdoor spots serve a crucial role within communities, these still lack the elements needed to be a suitable third space for communities, and face the same challenges as cafes in that there is not much scope for organic introductions and interactions among people in them. Indoor spaces are necessary regardless: indoor spaces allow people to escape the heat but are also welcoming at any time and any situation, whether you have to be dressed to not sweat through, or need to work with a power outlet and Wi-Fi, or generally want cooler waiting spaces while your kids play.

Parents with also have limited suitable places to spend time with their children outside the home, particularly comfortable indoor spaces. Parents may be able to spend time with younger children in parks, there are no longer spaces for parents with children even at primary school age to do activities together or to have them do supervised activities with their peers unless they participate in a sports team. We saw a need expressed for community spaces outside of the home and the workplace in focus group discussions, which we have loosely paraphrased below. Surveys by HDC also revealed similar demand for community third spaces such as libraries.

Youth desire a variety of services that can use more open spaces as well, reading areas can be developed for people to take books from the areas that do have books, there should be spaces for community engagement even where people can talk and spend time in as a third-space instead of only quiet spaces where people can’t spend time talking, etc. There should be a vibrant place where youth want to spend time, which should identify and cater to the needs and preferences of youth, making it an attractive and engaging space. Places like libraries should be a happening place for youth and a place that young people want to spend time in. Currently, even with a shortage of spaces for young people to spend time in, they prefer to spend money for limited time in cafes due to unsuitability of current amenities that should ideally serve as community spaces such as a public library.

It would be useful to organise poetry events, art events, technical/vocational/crafts workshops, coaching, and tutoring sessions where people can socialize, form communities, and enrich themselves. Provide educational and art materials at affordable prices. Seek CSR funding to offer cash prizes for people who write books. Host cooking events in collaboration with resorts, and so on. Consider partnering with other community development agencies to serve youth, the elderly, and those in reintegration or rehabilitation programs. Develop a community space, including creating a cafe floor with snacks and coffee options, and hosting regular public events for socializing within the community.

Previously, the National Library was a place where families and children of all ages could spend time in the evenings and have children spend time reading books and being away from screens, but there are no such spaces now for families to spend time together at times suitable to them since the library closes early.

A lack of spaces that can support intellectual and social enrichment for their children also make screen use the path of least resistance for exhausted and overworked parents. As a result, younger generations have attention span problems, making it hard for them to even listen to speeches beyond 10 minutes. Parents say that children don't read much, and their communication is heavily influenced by TV. There is a concern about excessive screen time among children, most of it on videos and games in English. But without suitable spaces outside the home, opportunities for activities that aren’t based around screens are limited.

Atomised individuals, fragmented communities

The atomisation of society as part of the modern condition has been widely discussed across countries, with trends in the Maldives showing no difference. Before the onset of globalization and widespread use of technology, island communities in the Maldives were characterized by strong interpersonal connections. Individuals knew not just their close friends, but also maintained relationships across various social circles and generations. This interconnected social structure provided a sense of community and belonging that extended beyond immediate family and close friendships. In contrast, modern Maldivian society has become increasingly atomized. Social interactions are often limited to smaller, more homogeneous groups, with fewer opportunities for cross-generational and cross-demographic mingling. This shift has led to a decline in the kind of broad, community-wide social networks that once defined island life.

This atomization of society is a contributing factor to isolation, loneliness, alienation, and disillusionment among people, and itself is downstream of a lack of true third spaces. One way to verbalize how people describe their experiences of human connection is as a set of increasing social circles. These circles may be defined in different ways, the first circle being the closest friends and family you talk to often, the second circle being friends and colleagues you might not be as close to, the third circle being acquaintances, and circles beyond that being your wider network all the way up to members of the community you may not directly know but have seen around. In an atomized society, the circles that people actually engage with consistently shrink, often all the way down to just 2-3 or even just one close friend, sometimes even no close friends and most of your time outside of work being just you and a screen. Sometimes people drift, having loose outer circles of acquaintances but never having an opportunity to form closer ties and bring these people into your closer circles to balance out your place in a community. In both cases, people experience a shrinking of their worlds, isolation, loneliness, and a disengagement with the wider community and society around them. In contrast, a web of ties to the community at various levels are a grounding aspect for individuals, providing a psychological and emotional anchor, and providing more of a sense of purpose and responsibility toward the well-being of something bigger than yourself.

Third spaces are also youth policy and mental health policy. Young people who have nowhere to meet except cramped flats or street corners are more likely to withdraw, to get into conflict or to feel that the city is not for them. Adults who have nowhere to see friends without spending heavily on food or tickets are more likely to feel isolated. A network of affordable, welcoming third spaces gives people a place to be seen and to see others. That, in turn, supports the kind of everyday solidarity and trust that democratic politics depends on. Youth and young families with children, express feelings of isolation in modern society and desire third spaces beyond work and home, including libraries, art spaces, events, and readings. While youth face versions of the same general problems of atomisation and alienation described above, along with specific pressures that come with issues such as high youth unemployment; a lack of privacy and space for the many youth still living with families as well as no spaces of their own to spend time with peers; a lack of ‘hangout spots’ and places to spend time that either require consistently spending money, or place them in proximity to crime in ways that create peer pressure and encourage participation; a lack of things to do or a sense of purpose that leads people to numb themselves and self-medicate through drugs; and more.

Loneliness among the elderly is endemic: another example of how aspects of community that were common in smaller islands are lost as Male’ City has grown into an urban metropolis. Uneven streets, traffic congestion, and narrow pavements uneven enough to even be a walking hazard in spots, are often a complete barrier for wheelchairs and scooters that could otherwise have become a means of mobility for the elderly to be outside safely. These elements also reduce accessibility and close the city down for many people with disabilities that require these supporting tools. The dominant mode of transportation being motorcycles also reinforces this, as frail older people or individuals with certain disabilities cannot go places on the back of a motorcycle. With car ownership being rare and regular taxi use being expensive, older people frequently end up confined to their homes. Similar issues were brought up in focus groups, paraphrased below:

There should be an active effort to create community spaces for elders, for example having a regular event or some time every week specifically for elders. Free car pickup and drop-off from their homes to library for elderly could make the library a more common option for the elderly, as they will be able to spend time in a common area as they wish and have more autonomy and independence without relying solely on family for transport. There can be a number or app through which a pick-up request can be made and all users can have an emergency contact.

Many elderly people won’t ask their family members for things out of politeness or embarrassment about seeming like a burden, and many elderly people are also unable to sit on motorcycles although they can sit in cars but most family homes don’t have cars and people consider car travel an expensive option. This can help provide dignity, autonomy, and mobility to the elderly as well as community participation. Activities can be catered to match young people with elderly visitors to create closer community ties and intergenerational connections.

Male', as the capital, houses many people from the islands who don’t have existing ties within the community upon arrival and can experience isolation and loneliness. High rent and poor housing conditions mean homes are often not the most pleasant environments for many people to spend extended time in. In general, there is a lack of common urbanist elements that are considered to be enriching and soothing for city inhabitants: looking out from a window to see concrete and buildings, crowds, traffic congestion, parked motorcycles clogging the streets, the conditions for urban heat islands, a lack of direct contact with nature, narrow streets and a lack of wide-open spaces. All of these factors combine to create an urgent need for third spaces people can access and spend time in without further depleting their limited financial resources.

A related social ill is what we might call a culture of toxic competitiveness, with a zero-sum mindset around success. We don’t yet have the research to state this as an objective reality and this element is based on discussions and impressions as people living in and immersed within life in the Maldives (we hope to eventually research and release a publication or ethnography on the public’s views on this). We see these patterns are repeated all the way up from children growing up feeling the intense competition between parents regarding their educational achievements, becoming ingrained in high school and university students, negatively affecting workplace dynamics and hurting career prospects in key industries, and even resulting in parents repeating the cycle with their own children. In schools and universities, educators and students alike mention a culture where students no longer share their notes or homework and where even group projects often suffer due to competition among students. In professional settings, this manifests as pervasive crab mentality and tall-poppy syndrome, with people attempting to undermine others' success, sabotaging projects they cannot claim credit for, and blocking potential rivals' career advancement. (In our discussions, we sometimes use an analogy for how destructive this kind of culture can be to national development– could ancient Egyptians have built the pyramids if builders seeing another side of the pyramid being developed well responded by trying to go sabotage it, or if supply chain administrators disrupted stone transportation out of insecurity about builders receiving more credit?). Destructive competition as a cultural standard makes deadweight loss, inefficiency, and unproductive use of resources and talent almost unavoidable.

The value of building around third spaces

Community ties and personal enrichment are important for individuals to feel whole and connected rather than atomised and isolated. Vibrant, close-knit communities that support individual enrichment results from policies to create public third spaces where individuals from a community can interact across different strata and demographics, doing different kinds of activities, while learning from and about each other. Educated and informed citizens are crucial to maintaining a healthy society. Information literacy and critical thinking skills immunise people from succumbing to disinformation and empowers them to be more engaged in decisions that affect them. An environment where intellectual and literary pursuits are valued can be one where people feel a sense of purpose and fulfilment. A society based on learning-centred values can encourage productive collaboration and healthy competition while discouraging destructive competition, supporting collaborative development.

Third spaces serve as fundamental pillars for social cohesion, community well-being, and broader societal development in. These benefits ripple from individual benefits through to state-level advantages, enhancing quality of life across society. Across various focus groups and surveys, the general public – particularly students, youth, and young families – describe feeling increasingly isolated in modern society and desire these third spaces beyond work and home. Many may not have heard that exact terminology before but almost universally expressed their desire for such spaces, such as public libraries, community spaces, and venues for events and readings. Public libraries would play a particularly vital role as third spaces, offering safe and comfortable environments with books, research materials, and internet access that would be freely available to students, those in poverty, and marginalized groups. With rising education levels among youth and greater awareness of libraries' role in cities internationally, public expectations for these community spaces have grown substantially, as evidenced through social media, surveys, and focus groups.

All these things that bring people from different backgrounds, generations, classes, demographics, etc together organically and form ties. Before globalization and modernization and phones etc people in islands all knew each other, not just their friend groups and generational peers but various expanding circles: not only close friends but also friends, acquaintances, people you know on a name basis, people you recognize from seeing each other at the same places, and so on. In modern society we are often limited to just this innermost circle and the screen.

Third spaces provide individuals with opportunities to connect with others outside their immediate social circles. These connections can range from casual acquaintanceships to deeper friendships, all of which contribute to a sense of belonging within the community. As neutral grounds away from the pressures of home and work, third spaces offer people a place to relax and decompress. This would reduce stress and contribute to better mental health outcomes. Through diverse interactions and exposure to different perspectives, individuals experience personal growth and continuous learning. Changing environments and interacting with diverse groups of people can boost creativity and productivity. This is especially relevant for those who may feel constrained by their home or work environments.

Third spaces facilitate the formation of weak ties – casual acquaintanceships that have been shown to have significant positive impacts on community well-being. These connections strengthen the overall social fabric of the community. By providing venues for regular, informal interactions, third spaces help build social capital within communities, encouraging increased trust, cooperation, familiarity, kinship, and mutual support among community members. In an increasingly atomised society, third spaces can play a crucial role in facilitating interactions across different age groups and demographics. This helps bridge generational gaps and promote mutual understanding. Social networks and community ties fostered by third spaces contribute to community resilience. In times of crisis or hardship, these networks can provide crucial support and resources.

By providing accessible spaces for social interaction, third spaces can significantly reduce social isolation, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, rural immigrants in urban areas, and low-income residents9AgeUK reports on Combating Loneliness through community hubs [www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/policy-research/loneliness-research-and-resources](https://www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/policy-research/loneliness-research-and-resources). By reducing social isolation and improving mental and emotional well-being, third spaces can contribute to improved public health outcomes. Well-designed and maintained third spaces can contribute to crime reduction through increased community ties, mentorship opportunities, stronger social bonds, and even directly by providing safe ‘hangout spots’ where youth can spend time away from criminal elements and peer pressure. Vibrant third spaces can contribute to economic development by attracting businesses, residents, and tourists. They can support local entrepreneurs by providing spaces for networking and collaboration. Investing in the creation and maintenance of diverse, accessible third spaces can create a more resilient and connected society and vibrant cities.

As we elaborate in more detail in the ‘Material vs intangible development’ section toward the end of our brief, third spaces can be part of an overall policy approach to reduce cultural standards and social norms that affect the mental state and well-being of individuals while also being toxic for society. Spaces that can model community ties built on cooperation and mutual support can play a role in shifting norms away from the current destructively competitive mindsets towards a more collaborative culture. Regular interactions in neutral, inclusive spaces can help bridge social divides based on class, education, or background. Spaces that encourage community interaction address isolation and loneliness. Third spaces can serve as informal learning environments, promoting lifelong learning and skill sharing. They can foster civic engagement, provide spaces for public discourse, and contribute to more active democratic participation.

Third spaces, vibrant communities, and thriving cities

The development of intentionally designed third spaces can address key fractures within the fabric of Maldivian society. These spaces would serve all demographics, from elderly and disabled residents to those with limited incomes, while providing natural opportunities for cross-generational interaction. Through free or low-cost activities, they can remain accessible to everyone in the community. Beyond physical gathering places, they can foster genuine belonging and community spirit, emphasizing collaboration over competition. These can contribute to building a more resilient and connected society, made up of closer-knit communities, consisting of happier and healthier individuals.

For third spaces to fulfil their potential in enriching lives and repairing social bonds, they would need to be integrated throughout the community's daily experience. Having these spaces within walking distance can develop stronger neighbourhood ties and collective responsibility. Different contexts call for different kinds of spaces - quiet areas for those seeking simple community presence, social spaces for forming new connections, and family-friendly environments where children can play while parents build support networks. Existing spaces could be identified, adapted, and enhanced to serve as third places. The National Library of Maldives, in its eventual redevelopment, could be reimagined as an effective third space through thoughtful design elements, expanded services, evening operating hours, and programs that encourage social interaction. This transformation would build on the crucial role that public libraries already play as third spaces worldwide.

Developing smaller third spaces at the neighbourhood level would provide another vital layer of community infrastructure. Community centres, small parks, or repurposed vacant spaces could form a network of accessible gathering places within walking distance of residents' homes. This approach would offer a lower-cost, quickly implementable solution with minimal administrative overhead, complementing any larger centralized spaces that might be developed.

For third spaces to fully achieve their potential in enriching individuals, building community ties, repairing the social fabric, changing cultural norms and expectations, and bringing life and vibrancy and a sense of identity to cities, these have to be woven deeply into the physical and experiential environment of residents in a city. This means:

There should be some third spaces present in close proximity to people in every community, developing community ties and neighbourhoods with a sense of collective ownership and responsibility toward each other and the area itself
There should be third spaces serving different purposes and contexts and situations to ensure every kind of person in every situation and state of mind feels welcome, with places to quietly be in the presence of a community as well as spaces to directly talk to people and make new friends, places to have fun with people you know and places to go out of your comfort zone in a reassuring environment; places for kids to play and their parents to talk and young families to get to know each other because “it takes a village”
There should also be some bigger, centralized third spaces where not just different circles and different demographics can all be present but where people from communities across the city can all be present, interact across smaller communities and neighbourhoods into forming wider webs of connections and meeting people from different walks of life, where these bigger centralized spaces can support a much wider set of options that can meet many needs in one place in a way that may not be possible at smaller scales and thus truly bring everyone together

Identifying, adapting, and enhancing existing spaces to serve as third places can be valuable. With how much of a crucial role public libraries play as third spaces across the world, the National Library of Maldives in its eventual redevelopment and new premises, can be reimagined and expanded to fulfil this role more effectively. This involves many design elements and facilities, choices in services, extending operating hours to accommodate evening use, and introducing new programs and services that encourage social interaction and community engagement.

Efforts should be made to develop smaller third spaces at the neighbourhood level. These could take the form of community centres, small parks, or repurposed vacant spaces. By creating a network of smaller third spaces throughout urban areas, residents can have easy access to communal spaces within walking distance of their homes. This approach would be lower-cost and can be started up quickly with relatively small administrative overhead, and regardless of whether or not other centralized community spaces will be developed, mini-spaces that are closer at neighbourhood levels are an important aspect. These will be discussed in more detail later in this brief.

For third spaces to be successful, they must be embraced and utilized by the community. Successful implementation of third spaces will require collaboration between various stakeholders. Partnerships should be developed between government agencies, private sector entities, and non-governmental organizations. These partnerships can provide resources, expertise, and support for the development and ongoing operation of third spaces.

Starting small and being close to communities

We argue that an approach for third spaces can be to first focus on establishing a network of mini-venues at a smaller scale, to provide enrichment directly to local communities. By working with city councils and businesses, these tiny, low-cost spaces can be made available for booking by local artists, creatives, and volunteers. The goal is to ensure that every community member can access these intellectual and cultural hubs within a 15-minute walking radius.

This phase does require cultivating a sustainable mini-event calendar. Literary events, workshops, performances, and other activities can be hosted regularly in these free-to-use mini-venues, even with smaller audiences compared to larger venues. While a roster of local artists and performers and volunteers to fill out a full calendar can gradually build over time, it would be important to maintain a full calendar regardless, by even hosting small-scale, low-cost and logistically easy events like screenings of copyright-free or approved independent/local films, readings of local books and literature, and videos of theatrical performances. For any night for any event where an artist or performer hasn’t already booked that space, these events can be held regardless as backups.

Partnerships with local cafes and restaurants can further expand the network of third spaces, as these establishments can host their own events, such as quiz nights, music shows, and small exhibits, and list their event calendars in a central online registry. To encourage community-led initiatives, support can be provided and incentives set up for residents to establish book clubs and other grassroots programs, to meet regularly in the mini-venues or existing public spaces, with prizes for the best-performing models of community engagement. An online registry and mobile app can be developed to publish and update information on all mini-events and mini-venues, allowing anyone within the city on any given night to be able to find activities to attend and things to do. Along this kind of mini-venue network, permanent public mini-exhibits can be set up across the city, showcasing art displays, videos, and audio readings of literature. This will further integrate third spaces into the fabric of the community and provide additional avenues for cultural and intellectual enrichment.

The ultimate goal is to foster a high level of community participation, with a medium-term goal for an average of at least 50% of the population in each neighbourhood to attend a community third space event at least once per month. This will help strengthen social cohesion and build a sense of shared identity within the communities. As the mini-venue network becomes established and the community engagement increases, the next step will be to identify and repurpose larger spaces, such as community centres, to create more versatile third spaces that can accommodate a wider range of activities and cater to diverse demographics.

Building big to be an option for everyone

An approach that would develop an indoor building or facility to serve as a larger-scale community third space across a city can be a central institution at the core of city life. Certain considerations apply when developing large community institutions such as public libraries or community centres, as well as for developing any city institutions specifically along third space principles. We go into more detail on these in the next chapter, but can summarize them here.

The venue should be designed with flexibility and diversity in mind, incorporating both large open areas and smaller, more intimate spaces to accommodate various activities and group sizes. The design should prioritize accessibility, ensuring that people of all ages and abilities can easily navigate and enjoy the space. The facility should include a range of amenities and features that cater to different interests and needs. These could include a café or food court area, reading and working spaces equipped with Wi-Fi and power outlets, public event spaces for exhibitions and performances, playground areas for children with adjacent seating for parents, and quieter areas for those seeking a more relaxed environment. The incorporation of green spaces, such as pocket gardens or indoor plants, can provide a connection to nature and create a more soothing atmosphere.

When it comes to these bigger spaces, successful third spaces should facilitate the mingling of people from various demographics, social backgrounds, classes, and locations. By breaking down social silos, these spaces can put people in close proximity who may not otherwise have the opportunity to interact, encouraging the development of new relationships and bridging ties across diverse communities. The ideal third space would offer varied levels of human interaction to cater to diverse needs and preferences. Some areas can directly facilitate organic interactions, hosting communal activities like classes, book clubs, support groups, trivia nights, and other collaborative pursuits. Encouraging cross-generation interactions and the participation of the elderly within the community is a priority. Some areas within a space would provide more organic opportunities for interaction, such as parent seating areas near playgrounds, event and festival spaces, and food courts. There would be zones where people can be more independent while still surrounded by a sense of community, like working areas with Wi-Fi and power outlets. Certain amenities are also valuable. Key aspects can include cafe and food court areas, reading and working spaces with necessary technology, and a mix of larger open spaces and smaller, more intimate areas. Public events, such as pop-up art exhibits, festivals, shows, and cultural celebrations, support community engagement and interaction while being crucial for the vibrancy and identity of a city. These spaces should be designed with the needs of all community members in mind, including the elderly, disabled, and low-income residents. This means features like convenient public transportation options, mobility-friendly infrastructure within the space, and affordability, with free or low-cost activities and amenities.

Characteristics of a third-space community hub

Design considerations when building a community space

The following are considerations that apply to the design of a larger community hub building meant to serve as a city-wide third space. This section considers it from the perspective of designers and planners, architects, and the construction process.

Have a variety of different spaces, including large open areas, smaller cozy spaces, classrooms, group therapy rooms, and areas for different activities. Having just one large open space can discourage organic conversation and interaction that may happen more easily in smaller spaces, and being a suitable space for a range of activities, moods, energy levels, and emotional states is key.
Ensure mobility and easy access by integrating bus routes, discounted bus passes, e-bike docking stations, and pick-up/drop-off services, especially easy travel options for the elderly that may not want to ask their family members regularly for travel.
Design the space with ramps, railings alongside the walls that the elderly can hold onto, and plenty of seating to accommodate frailer elderly adults and mobility-limited PwDs.
Have playgrounds for children that have nearby seating areas for supervising parents, and design these waiting spaces to encourage mingling and conversation between young families.
Include ample natural light and greenery within the space, as well as pedestrian-friendly areas outdoors, to create a harmonious and inviting environment.
Have plenty of accessible power outlets throughout the space, especially in working areas.
Design the space to encourage organic interactions among visitors from different groups and demographics.
Have some soundproofed rooms so that people can still have quiet spaces for peaceful time or work even while loud exciting community events might go on nearby.
Leave spaces for pocket gardens, nurseries, and potted or hanging greenery to create a soothing environment that feels proximate to nature.
Include plans to improve sidewalks nearby areas to enhance walkability and accessibility for those with mobility challenges, creating more shaded and green areas. The most ideal approach would be to set up some pedestrian-only vehicle-free areas around the site and/or to have a surrounding park area, so that there are both outdoor and indoor elements that visitors can interact with seamlessly.

Physical elements to create an enriching third space

The following are considerations that apply to the setup of a larger community hub building meant to serve as a city-wide third space. This section considers it from the perspective of operations, including details about vendors, furnishing, and decoration.

Seating areas with free Wi-Fi and power outlets for people to work quietly or spend time ‘alone but together’ in a community space
A bookshelf with a diverse range of books as a mini-library branch for all ages
Plenty of greenery indoors, including small pocket gardens and potted or hanging plants
Exhibits and displays that offer intellectual and cultural enrichment, including local art and rotating displays of unique cultural items
Board games and some indoor games like billiards or foosball
Bean bags, couches and coffee tables, benches, and seating comfortable for the elderly like joali
A small shopping area for convenience items that people might need, as well as to make it easier for people to also take some time out for enjoyment and community even when doing a shopping run
Intellectually enriching elements such as local art and recreations of famous artworks like Van Gogh or Monet
Physical and tactile items that will interest children and the intellectually curious, such as 3D-printed models of dinosaur fossils or historical artifacts
Prints on the walls of cultural and historical items like copies of newspaper front pages from key historical days and video art on screens
Small listening booths with headphones for visitors to hear oral histories, poetry readings, or audio recreations
Spaces that can be used for regular team-based activities such as trivia nights, lavabaazee nights, or ishaaraai nights
Community walls or display areas where people can purchase small trinkets or plaques to display on the wall (for example, dedicated to loved ones or to a memory) in a sentimental and social-media-friendly way. Creating emotional ties and positive sentiment toward the space can build strong enough personal investment among the public to discourage any future political opponents from closing down the space
Clean and free public bathrooms, including some shower spaces, so that even the homeless and marginalized would be able to at least take a shower consistently
Ideally, a small and secure waiting area with a security guard that can remain open 24/7 even past the closing hours of the central community space, to provide a secure space for people who need it, such as people who may be on an emergency overnight visit from another island while a family member needs medical care
Prayer spaces
Lockers for visitors to safely store personal belongings
Cafes and snack options
A small pantry with a microwave

Activities and services to best serve communities

Consistently maintaining a rich and varied activity calendar is key for a larger community hub building meant to serve as a city-wide third space. This section looks at considerations for successfully operating and administering the space. It is also important for the entity overseeing the activities and services for a larger city-wide third space to also keep track of and coordinate activities from smaller community third-space venues across other neighbourhoods, and to promote and advertise those to people visiting the larger third space.

Book clubs and creative writing workshops to meet regularly
Group therapy sessions similar to how YMCAs and community centres in other cities provide a venue for group therapy and AA meetings, including rehab-based group therapy meetings for people in the latter stages of rehabilitation and recovery to feel integrated within their communities and enmeshed into a support network
All-ages enrichment classes such as cooking or art workshops to foster skill development and community interaction.
Allow local artists and musicians to lease space for free, providing them with opportunities to create and share their work.
Occasional pop-up events, festivals, markets, or shows to build a thriving community and vibrant city
Events where older adults can share their memories and life stories with younger generations to foster cross-generational connections
Study support services and tutoring to assist students, while having
A small cinema-style space to screen independent films or copyright-free movies
Mentorship programs, allowing community members to guide and support each other across generations and professions. In particular, mentorship programs to try divert young boys away from a path of crime and provide role models
Guest lectures and panel discussions featuring public intellectuals, literary figures, and local experts for educational enrichment
Seed libraries to promote community gardening, collaboration, and food security
A pickup and drop-off service, especially for elderly visitors who need assistance accessing the space.
A consistent calendar of group events like trivia nights, lavabaazee, and ishaaraai where people can either come in groups or can come individually and be assigned to groups, similar to trivia quiz nights in other cities
Design activities that bring together people from different demographics, encouraging teamwork and mutual understanding.
Regularly host cultural and intellectual enrichment events, such as art exhibits, live music, and guest speaker engagements.

Considerations, approach, ethos, and priorities

Have a guiding principle be to create a genuine sense of community spirit and kinship, moving away from individualism, and to encourage a collaborative spirit. Have posters and campaigns to discourage a rivalry mindset and encourage unburdened engagement while within the confines of the space.
Keep a laser focus on the key principles of these programs and the role that the space wants to play in the community. Avoid focusing too heavily on ‘productive’ activities that make it just another second space (work or school) and are still individualism-centred. Have the focus be on just community engagement and personal enrichment.
In particular, avoid having too much redundancy with existing institutions: for example, by having too much overlap with the BCC’s SME Hub and innovation hubs.
Be open late in the evening to best serve the community at times when most people most need these spaces.
Have a high level of security to guarantee that users can feel peace of mind and guaranteed in their safety.
Encourage a feeling of ownership and integration within communities by making it easy and encouraging various communities to collectively fundraise for certain items, features, or amenities.
Ensure that there are consistently activities to create cross-generational engagement across the elderly, youth, middle-aged, children, and families.
Foster collaboration, mutual well-being, and a sense of shared community responsibility while actively discouraging destructive social dynamics.
In all activities, consistently consider ways to address societal challenges such as isolation, alienation, and loneliness through inclusive activities.
In every decision, consider the impact on marginalized people and on each segment of society. Even if some individual activities may be more targeted to certain demographics, ensure that in any given week there will always be a range of activities to serve every segment of society and not neglect or exclude any one.
Be welcoming even to international residents and migrants, having posters and messaging within the space to strongly emphasize that everyone within the space must be welcomed and treated with respect. Have the space even be a welcoming environment to tourists.
Encourage the development of a collective spirit and a deep sense of belonging within the community.
Prioritize cultural enrichment, intellectual growth, and emotional well-being. Emphasize community-focused activities such as art exhibits, book clubs, and cooking classes that cater to all ages.
Build a community hub that nurtures enrichment and connection. Encourage organic, spontaneous interactions across different social groups through inclusive programs and events. Focus on activities that strengthen social ties and promote a sense of community unity.

Box: Expert views on third spaces

Kanti W Janis

Former Presidium, Women’s Caucus, Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan, Indonesia & Founder of Baca di Tebet Libraries

International Expert

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Fathimath Shiham

Director General, National Library of Maldives

Local Expert

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Notes & References

AgeUK reports on Combating Loneliness through community hubs [www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/policy-research/loneliness-research-and-resources](https://www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/policy-research/loneliness-research-and-resources)