{"id":3000080980,"date":"2026-02-13T06:51:32","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T11:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/?p=3000080980"},"modified":"2026-02-13T06:51:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T11:51:35","slug":"coworking-spaces-the-new-third-spaces-for-work-and-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/coworking-spaces-the-new-third-spaces-for-work-and-connection","title":{"rendered":"Coworking spaces\u2014The new third spaces for work and connection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A typical workday used to follow a familiar rhythm: you left home in the morning, went to work, and came back home at the end of the day. Daily life was pretty much divided between these two places. Home was the first place<\/em>, where personal life unfolded. Work was the second place<\/em>, where we focused on professional responsibilities only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there was always a third space, too. And though the benefits of third places can\u2019t be overstated, it\u2019s really easy to overprioritize the first two when duty calls from every direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are third spaces important?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because this is where people gather to socialize, connect, relax, recharge, and have fun while doing all that. They\u2019re the caf\u00e9s where you catch up with a close friend, the parks where you picnic with family, or the community spaces where you meet even more like-minded people. All of these serve a basic human need: connection.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it\u2019s easy to see how traditional office spaces weren\u2019t designed to support that. However, coworking spaces\u2014with WeWork at the forefront\u2014are intentionally built with this need in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do third spaces come from?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sociologist Ray Oldenburg<\/strong> first coined the term third place<\/em> to describe informal public settings that exist outside of home and work. He emphasized that these are places people choose to<\/em> spend time in, as opposed to having work or home-related responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of third spaces include caf\u00e9s, libraries, parks, and bars, among many others. Spaces centered on conversation, socializing, and simply being together, without obligations or expectations. Oldenburg described these as anchors of community life<\/em>: environments that support social interaction without pressure or formality.<\/p>\n\n\n