Bonding and bridging in third places

The importance of ‘third places’ 
The significance of such meeting places, where people can gather in an informal setting, has been popularized by Ray Oldenburg (1989). He is an urban sociologist, who argues that places such as cafes or parks are essential for communities and the quality of their neighborhoods. These third places exist in addition to home (‘first place’) and workplace/school (‘second place’).  According to Oldenburg, third places have characteristics, such as being obligation-free places with the potential to level social status as people engage in carefree conversations with a playful mood, and where people can be themselves. Socializing and sense of belonging, also in this kind of locations, is a basic human need, of which we were painfully reminded during the restrictions caused by the covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, with many third places closed due to (partial) lockdowns, people longed to be outside of their homes, using more than ever the public space. The pandemic underlined the importance of human contact, and thereby the importance of meeting places. As we pick up life where we left it, it is appropriate to revisit the significance of third places. Additionally, we can ask ourselves: what is actually the meaning of third places for a neighborhood and its communities? 

Coolhaveneiland: diversity in people and places
To find this out we chose Coolhaveneiland in Rotterdam as an example. It is, as the Dutch name says, an island, and for a long time this was also the reputation it had in the city: an inward-looking neighborhood, where non-inhabitants did not have any reason to go to. This changed the last years, side by side with major developments going on in Rotterdam: Coolhaveneiland opened up and shows signals of upgrading, without being yet completely gentrified. The area still has a mix of housing types and residents, ranging from autochthone Dutch and ethnic inhabitants to students and young international professionals.
With such a diverse population and changes going on, it is no surprise the offer of third places is equally diverse. One can find a typical Dutch pub (‘brown café’), a neighborhood garden, a thrift shop which functions as a meeting place for inhabitants and a more established community center. The question is: what is the meaning of all these places according to their managers or owners?  

For everybody or just for a specific group?
To find out, we visited several places and held conversations with those responsible. They all saw their places as an important spot in the neighborhood: either because ‘it is one of the few green areas in the area’,  ‘a place where people from Coolhaveneiland can get support’ or simply ‘because this is the only pub in the wide environment where (...)

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