Written by Justin Ritchey
Imagine wandering through a narrow city street, rough cobblestone at your feet, colorful storefronts on either side with donuts and pastries in the windows. People are sitting outside, coffee in hand, talking with a good friend. As you approach the end of the street, it opens into a large square lined with cafes and shops with a centrally located market. Crowds of people organically flow throughout the square, with sounds of conversations mixing together from various languages. Although you cannot speak the language, you understand the happiness. The sun pokes out of the clouds, attracting an audience to soak in its warmth.
The scene illustrated describes the Main Market Square in Krakow, Poland. The area around and within the square is a dynamic public space with activation around the edges of city streets and plazas. Sometimes, these areas are also called “third places”.
The Main Market Square in Krakow activated by the market or Cloth Hall. Photo courtesy of author.
This past April, I had the opportunity to visit Poland for vacation. Many people asked, “Why Poland?” The answer was simple! Poland is a hidden gem located in central Europe between Germany and the Baltics, situated along the Baltic Sea. While centrally located, Poland feels a bit off the beaten path and intrigued me with its long and complicated history, modern and old cities, and arts and culture scene.
Since this was my first visit to Poland, I decided to split my time between the capital city of Warsaw and the historic city of Krakow. What struck me the most upon my arrival was the frequency of third places and public space. From medieval alleys to modern boulevards, I was never too far away from a place to linger and gather.
Even though I was on vacation, the analytical urban designer in me couldn’t help but to attempt to understand what made Krakow and Warsaw such incredible cities, and compare those observations to my home here in Charlotte.
View overlooking Old Town Krakow from the Wawel Royal Castle. Photo courtesy of the author.
What is a “Third Place” and why are they important?
Third places are a space in between the workplace and home, where people can gather and socialize. Third places include cafes, taverns, libraries, plazas, public squares, and parks – but can lie anywhere in between that broad spectrum. The term “Third Place” was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place in 1989 to describe a space for free and informal social interaction. He observed that those types of places, such as the public square, were essential to democracy and idea sharing. According to the UNESCO definition of third places, they’re neutral ground: unstructured and inexpensive places to talk that are an accessible distance from home or work. Since third places allow for socialization outside of home and the workplace, they build human connections and communities across all walks of life. Though the term stems from the 1980s, the creation of third places dates back centuries. Many old cities, such as Krakow, were oriented around centrally located public squares where people could gather, trade goods, and buy any manner of household goods. Public squares were frequently central in traditional city planning and street grid layouts.
While the third place can range from a variety of scales, including single businesses and storefronts, my analysis focuses on third places within the public realm. Public spaces can contain multiple third places, such as a restaurant along a public plaza. The restaurant by itself is a third place providing space to commune and socialize, while the plaza is a public space that contains multiple elements that provide third places. Public space serves as a larger gathering place through the activation of individual third places such as shops, restaurants, and libraries with each other. Therefore, public spaces are a collective of third places (while still being a third place!) by fostering a variety of gathering spaces and activities.
Third Places in Poland
Public spaces are prominent in Poland, from charming old towns with market squares to riverfront parks full of greenways and paths. Warsaw and Krakow are both cities with great examples of third places by the design of public space that comes from their rich history and heritage in Polish culture. Poland’s history has defined its urban development that created the public spaces that make great third places and urban design. Both cities started as medieval towns along the Vistula River with a cross-grid layout and town wall for protection from invaders. This created the iconic market square and castle scenes that have historically romanticized Central European cities. Poland has had a turbulent history from the Partitions of Poland in the late 18th century the German occupation in WWII and being a communist satellite state under the Soviet Union. In fact, it wasn’t until 1989 when Poland became an independent democracy. Even with those challenges, it’s been able to maintain and create a sense of place and identity in its cities through urban form.
Freshly baked Polish donuts and pastries frequent storefronts in Krakow. Bakeries provide third places where visitors and residents can socialize with a friend before heading to work. Photo courtesy of author.
From the vibrant streets of Krakow and Warsaw to our home here in Charlotte, I’ve explored a range of ‘third places’ – those essential spaces beyond home and work – and observed how people truly use them. These case studies reveal fascinating differences in Charlotte’s public realm compared to Poland, offering valuable insights into what we can learn from their urban design.
Krakow, Poland
Old Town
View of Florianska Street in Old Town, leading to St Mary’s Basilica. Photo courtesy of the author.
Krakow’s most beloved district is the historic center of Old Town and is frequently visited by tourists and university students.
What makes the heart of Krakow’s Old Town such an inviting space? The design was intentional and dates to the 1257 founding charter based on the Magdeburg Law (Read more here: https://magdeburg-law.com/), which specified the towns layout with a main square in the center and a gridded network of streets that extend outward pattern. This system of medieval town design was not unique to Krakow and has helped to create active nodes, pedestrian streets, and plazas that are still loved today.
The most iconic third place in the Old Town is Ryneck Glowny or the Main Market Square. Centuries ago, Ryneck Glowny was the largest main square in Medieval Europe, spanning 650 feet in any direction. The square serves as the main gathering space in Krakow and is currently lined with cafes and outdoor dining, hotels and shops. Each individual café alone could count as a third place, but together it creates a greater sense of place. St. Mary’s Basilica towers over the edge of the square, its bell tower and spire serving as a visual landmark to navigate the narrow streets. In the center of the square is the town hall and Cloth Hall, the oldest commercial center in the city.
People walking around the Main Market Square of Krakow with the Town Hall in the center. Photo courtesy of the author.
Kazimierz – The Jewish Quarter
Sidewalk dining on a pedestrian street in Kazimierz. Photo courtesy of the author.
Just outside Old Town is Kazimierz. Once an independent Jewish settlement to avoid overcrowding in the city, today it is known as the Jewish Quarter, after being annexed into Krakow in the early 19th century. Kazimierz is one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe, serving as an important center of Jewish culture before WWII. This district is full of third places such as synagogues, squares, and markets, all of which have fostered the intellectual and cultural Jewish life in Krakow. Today, Kazimierz’s Jewish population totals around 140 people, but is still a bustling center of activity for locals and tourists alike. The main destination for locals is the Okraglak (market square), a square with retailers and a food market. When I approached the market square, there were people standing by food vendors, chatting away with a Kanapki (an open face sandwich) in hand. Dozens of hungry pigeons danced around their feet, waiting for fallen breadcrumbs. Compared to Ryneck Glowny, Okraglak is smaller and less busy, allowing locals to gather leisurely without large crowds.
People gathering at the Okraglak in Kazimierz during lunch. Photo courtesy of the author.
Kanapki, French Bread topped with cheese, mushrooms, fried onions, and green onion. Photo courtesy of the author.
Warsaw Poland
Old Town Warsaw and the Royal Route
Like Krakow, Warsaw’s Old Town has a central square with a network of gridded streets that was prescribed from the Magdeburg Law. The Royal Castle sits at the entrance to the Old Town, overlooking rows of colorful townhouses and narrow cobblestone streets. It felt timeless – untouched since the 18th century.
However, approximately 85% of Old Town Warsaw was destroyed during German occupation in 1944 from WWII. Everything that stands in Old Town Warsaw today was rebuilt in the 1960’s. That reconstruction effort – led by passionate citizens – was meant to replicate a pre-WWII Warsaw – highlighting its historical importance and public spaces. The reconstruction effort was so successful that to the untrained eye you cannot tell it was less than a hundred years. Old Town Warsaw has maintained its charm through reconstructing its medieval layout and architecture, and public spaces, allowing for third places such as cafes and restaurants to pop up along the market square, creating an ideal place for people to wander and explore.
Castle Square in Old Town, Warsaw, reconstructed after WWII. Photo courtesy of the author.
Adjacent to the Old City is the Royal Route, three interconnecting streets leading to the old town, connecting to various nodes such as churches and palaces. The route is lively and activated with cafes, shops, and outdoor dining. The streetscape has two narrow traffic lanes frequented with buses, cars, and bicyclists, with wide sidewalks on both sides lined with street trees and storefronts. The Royal Route serves as an example of how a street can connect people to home and work while providing third places in-between along its edges. Serving as a place to walk, bike, shop and socialize, not just a place to drive. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Royal Route was the center for political, economic, and cultural life for residents. Today the route still serves a cultural importance and a place to gather through tourism and nightlife.
The Royal Route serving as a “Main Street” for the cultural center of Warsaw. Photo courtesy of author.
Modern Warsaw and the Vistula Boulevard
While Old Warsaw provides beautiful medieval architecture and monuments, great public spaces can be found through modern urban design as well. With most of Warsaw being tragically destroyed in WWII, a contemporary city has emerged. The Palace of Culture and Science, a contested gift from Stalin during the cold war, stands juxtaposed against modern corporate skyscrapers, dominating the skyline.
Skyline of Warsaw with the Palace of Culture and Science on the left. Photo courtesy of the author.
East of Old Town is the Vistula River cutting through the dense urban fabric of Central Warsaw. Once an underutilized river with industry and wharfs, divided from the city by a highway, today is reconnected by public space. In 2009 city officials sought to reconnect Warsaw to its river by designing a park and pedestrian boulevard above the highway. Completed in 2017, the Vistula Boulevard reclaimed the space along the river for people by providing a new public space full of third places to gather such as parks, beaches, and coffee houses. Approaching the river, you see a vibrant park full of people walking their dogs, biking, having a drink with friends, and running; serving as a perfect refuge for residents to leisure on their way home from work.
Overlooking the Vistula Boulevard from the Holy Cross Bridge. Photo courtesy of the author.
Comparing Charlotte, NC
In comparison to Poland’s cities that were generally situated against rivers and designed with a grid layout and stricter development regulations, Charlotte has grown more “organically” through suburban sprawl, lower density patterns, auto-centric development, and Euclidian Zoning (single use zoning). Charlotte’s population boom happened as a new south city and much of what was loved has been lost – not due to wars and bombing, but to the automobile and new development. However, public space has emerged from the new growth as demand for gathering spaces increase as more people move into the city.
Victoria Yards, an outdoor public plaza that hosts events such as a pop up market, shows how a surface parking lot in Uptown has been repurposed into a activate public space. Photo courtesy of Uptown Charlotte.
Brevard Court at the Latta Arcade
Brevard Court at the Latta Arcade is one of Charlotte’s best spots. Connecting Romare Bearden Park to South Tryon Street. The Brevard Court is a pedestrian alleyway lined with storefronts, bars and restaurants with outdoor seating. The alleyway is Charlotte’s singular cobblestone street, framed on either side diminutive, two-story buildings that help create a sense of enclosure. Terminating the view at the end of the alleyway is Latta Arcade, an enclosed passageway with shops and other amenities. The design of Brevard Court creates an ideal environment for a third place, allowing people to informally gather and socialize in a public-private place. A place, while privately owned, that is generally open to the public to come and go as they please.
Photo of Brevard Court, courtesy by North Pond Partners
Camp North End
Today redevelopment in Charlotte has created new “third places” through public space. As Charlotte grows and sees rapid population growth, older empty industrial sites experience a rebirth into new urban places. South End, once an industrial district with warehouses and mills, is now a thriving mixed-use neighborhood with the investment of the Blue Line light rail and the continued development of new office spaces and retail offerings.
Activated street front along Camp Road at Camp North End. The visual landmark replicates the church and spire from older, European cities and creates an informal navigational guide. Photo Courtesy of the author.
One of the most prominent and recent examples of industrial adaptive reuse into a third place is Camp North End. First built in 1924 as a Ford Model T factory and used as a missile plant during WWII, Camp North End was transformed again into a mixed-use development project in 2017. Adapting and reusing the existing warehouse buildings, Camp North End is now home to businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs. A mix of food stalls, art galleries, breweries and bars attract people to gather, activating the space. The site is transformed into pedestrian alleys and open spaces, providing comfortable places to sit and walk. Camp North End is also activated by events such as a farmers’ markets, movie nights, festivals, and concerts, many of which are free to the public. With an incremental master plan, the site continues to develop, with plans for apartments and additional buildings in the coming years.
Conclusion
The success of Krakow and Warsaw’s public spaces shows the cultural importance and public investment of third places in Poland. Krakow’s Main Market Square has been preserved for hundreds of years, providing a crucial public space for people to socialize and interact in Krakow for generations. Warsaw displays how historic preservation and new redevelopment projects can create and preserve public spaces in the 21st century. The vibrancy and life of these public spaces are evidence of their success in providing third places for communities to socialize and gather. Third places are common in Poland because of the importance of historic preservation, urban design, and government investment in multi-modal transit and pedestrian infrastructure. Urban spaces are designed for people not just cars, allowing for more third places to thrive.
Due to Charlotte’s large urban development boom after the automobile and Euclidean Zoning, public places are more spread out and third places are often more sparse. Suburban sprawl in Charlotte have created a disproportionate amount of space for cars compared to public places for people. Thus, third places are more spread out and inaccessible without driving. However, redevelopment in Charlotte is creating more walkable third places such as Camp North End, as the demand for walkable, comfortable, and mixed-use places to gather and socialize increase.
Krakow and Warsaw both serve as a model for Charlotte for how public and private investment in public spaces that are walkable and inviting can create more third places and attract people. Third places enhance people’s lives and foster communities and social connection through public space. A place that is comfortable, accessible, provides various activities, and is timeless will allow for third places to thrive for generations. The high demand in Charlotte for urban development and housing creates an opportunity to design more places for people as the city grows. Investment in public spaces makes a vibrant city and stimulates economic activity for everyone to thrive.
Sources
- Organization of World Heritage Cities: https://www.ovpm.org/city/cracow-poland/#:~:text=The%201257%20founding%20charter%20based,sides%20is%20200%20m%20long.
- Krakow Travel: https://krakow.travel/en/55-krakow-plaza-mayor
- The UNESCO Courier: https://courier.unesco.org/en/articles/third-places-true-citizen-spaces
- UNESCO World Heritage Convention: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/29/
- Vistula Boulevard: https://landscape.coac.net/en/node/177
- Camp North End: https://camp.nc/
- Magdeburg Law: https://magdeburg-law.com/
- Uptown Charlotte – Brevard Court: https://uptowncharlotte.com/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-uptowns-latta-arcade-and-brevard-court