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Extending the Physical Public Realm: The ‘Third Place’ as a Charged Interstitial Space

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posted on 2023-05-23, 14:28 authored by Nina Ispravnikova
This thesis project defines the role of a ‘third place’ as an informal public space and an essential part of the urban landscape, as well as citizens’ daily lives. Such spaces help the urban growth to integrate with the lives of the people, allowing for our diverse community to come together and nourish new kinds of relationships that are rather hard to obtain in private or commercialized spaces. Our cities are increasingly deprived of such spaces due to changes in our urban planning structure. Culture of commerce has put a lot of pressure on urban areas replacing the program of present and potential public areas for private functions. With the introduction of online communication and creation of social networks most social encounters take place in cyberspace. These technologies allow for easy and constant virtual information exchanges eliminating the need for physical contact, therefore changing the patterns of social interaction. Aiming to bring us closer together, these technologies began to physically isolate our society even more. As members of our society enter into the virtual world of these technologies everywhere they go, they began to isolate themselves from others in the physical realm. This thesis project aims to redefine the physical role of a ‘third place’ in the context of a modern society that has been affected by virtual communication technologies and increasing privatization of urban public spaces. A new form of a ‘third place’ will be designed to create a sense of place within a community, enhance and bring back the presence of people in the city, engage diverse social groups in physical activities and improve their social interaction.

History

Language

English

Degree

  • Master of Architecture

Program

  • Architecture

Granting Institution

Ryerson University

LAC Thesis Type

  • Thesis

Thesis Advisor

Masha Etkind

Year

2012

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    Architecture (Theses)

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