Picture a 70-degree day: blue sky, calm breeze, the smell of fresh-cut grass, the distant call of birds. A small band of colleagues, tablets and coffee cups at hand, gather in lounge chairs under a tree for a moment to connect, share conversation and refocus.
They could be meeting in their team space or a conference room, but they opt for the great outdoors—because it’s a beautiful day and there’s Wi-Fi and power access on the terrace. That’s the group’s favorite spot when the weather is nice and they need to discuss or debrief on a project. It’s a great haven for individuals who need a brain break, too.
Team members think of this terrace as their “outdoor third place”—one of those gathering places, like a coffee shop, that serves as a relaxing, welcoming, stimulating alternative to the first place (home) and second place (office).
The idea of having an outdoor breakout space on campus is the next stage in a movement to bring the third place into the workplace. The move comes in response to workers’ need for well-equipped on-site retreat spaces that encourage both creative collaboration and focused solo work.
Employees—whether they work in-house or nomadically—want environments that do more than just support their work. They want spaces that inspire and stimulate them.
