Designing Coffee Shops and Cafés for Community

Lisa K. Waxman, Lisa Waxman

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9780367745905
• eBook ISBN: 9781000575286
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

Designing Coffee Shops and Cafés for Community brings together research, theory, and practical applications for designing coffee shops and cafes as places to enhance community connections. As people search for meaning and connection in their lives, they often seek out places that root them in their community. Designers are responsible for creating these spaces, and to do so well, they need to understand the physical and social attributes that make such spaces successful.

Addressing societal trends, environment and behavior theories, place attachment, branding, authenticity, location, layout, and ambiance, the book provides guidelines to help designers and operators create more welcoming third places—places that are not home, not work, but those where we can relax in the company of others. It includes eight case studies by authors from threecountries that ground the theories in real-life third places. Its practical design guidelines cover location, accessibility, seating, lighting, sound, and more.

Written for students, academics, and designers, this book discusses the value of coffee shops and cafés and guides readers through the ways to create places of belonging that bring people together.

1 The Role of Place in Our Lives

DOI: 10.4324/9781003158639-2

Introduction

This book is about the pull of places. The desire to belong somewhere and to be connected to something is part of the shared human experience. Places play a role in connecting people to their past, grounding them in the present, and preparing them for their future. In today’s mobile society, many people find themselves unanchored and searching for a community in which to grow and thrive. This book will address third places, specifically coffee shops and cafés, and their value to communities. Third places are not home, not work, but places open to all where people can relax in the company of others. This chapter will address the challenges to human connection in today’s society and the role places play in increasing social capital. In addition, the history of coffee shops, the characteristics of third places, and concern over the future of third places will be addressed.

Places and Connection

Humans need shelter, but much more than that, they yearn for a place for themselves in the world. The most inspiring places lift people up and provide the social and environmental sustenance that nourishes them. Oldenburg (1999) writes, “The secret of a society at peace with itself is not revealed in the panoramic view but in examination of the average citizen’s situation” (p. 14). People engage with their community on many scales, from the macro scale of urban design to the more intimate scale of interior design. In all these settings, design that enhances human connection offers the opportunity for increased well-being.

The pandemic of 2020 reminded people how much they need one another. Forced to work and learn from home, people took over kitchen tables and spare bedrooms as classrooms and offices. All the while, they were without face-to-face contact with friends, co-workers, or classmates. At the same time, many businesses closed completely or opened at limited capacity, meaning opportunities to interact with people in the usual cafés, coffee shops, pubs, or barbershops were significantly reduced or nonexistent. People felt that loss deeply, with many reporting increased feelings of isolation and loneliness (Ausin et al., 2021).

Challenges to Human Connection

Communities are places people inhabit together. Today, people live in a global age with the ability to travel, learn from other cultures, and enjoy products and services worldwide. However, connections with those in one’s very own community are often lacking. Research shows a decrease in the ability of people to connect with those who live among them (Putnam, 2000). How has this disconnect come about? The reasons are many, but scholars often attribute population shifts, increased dependence on technology, and societal changes that have led to isolation and alienation (Goldhagen, 2017; Murthy, 2020; Brown, 2017). Increased mobility, globalization, and homogeneity have altered relationships between people and places (Beatley, 2004). In addition, the rise of the internet culture and the virtualization of everyday life is changing how people interact with one another (Lewika, 2011).

Human connection strengthens a society, while isolation runs contrary to the most basic human needs. Social isolation can be explained as loneliness that occurs when people feel disconnected (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018). People are not simply lonely because they are physically alone but may feel lonely when they do not feel part of the society in which they live. It is not merely an individual, psychological, or medical problem—although it can be all of those things—but a social problem as well (Yang, 2019). When forces drive people apart and limit their meaningful interactions with others, there is a negative impact on overall health and well-being.

It is important to note that loneliness is now understood to be a significant risk factor in overall health (Lakhani, 2020). In 1980, approximately 20 percent of United States citizens reported feeling lonely. Thirty years later, that figure had more than doubled (Wilson & Moulton, 2010). In addition to negatively impacting mental health, research shows that loneliness makes people more susceptible to viruses and is strongly correlated with dementia and cognitive decline (Latson, 2018). When people lack intimate relationships, friendships, community, or workgroup connections, their perceived sense of loneliness rises. These feelings of loneliness signal the body to seek out what will bring comfort—in this case, connection with others. In summary, there is value to design that supports human connection, increasing well-being for individuals and communities (Carmona et al., 2003).

Place and Social Capital

The importance of places in people’s lives has ramifications beyond individual well-being. Thoughtfully designed places that offer opportunities for connection can positively affect the welfare of the public at large. Engagement with the community adds meaning to lives, improves health and well-being, and results in more robust social capital. Putnam (2000) uses the term social capital to describe “the connections among individuals—social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them” (p. 19). Social capital increases well-being for the individual and the community because both benefit from the forthcoming care and concern. Social capital, built on the strength of relationships between individuals and others in a community, gives rise to the expectation that people will step up to help if fellow neighbors are in need (Ferguson & Ferguson, 2016). Broadly speaking, social capital happens when the individual looks out for the best interest of members of the collective community, and community members do the same for the individual.

Social capital needs the right conditions in which to flourish. Putnam (2000) conducted extensive research on behaviors that contribute to social capital—as well as those that hinder it. For example, he notes that there has been a significant decline in regular contact with friends and neighbors over the past several decades. In addition, people spend less time eating meals with one another, less time visiting, and are less likely to engage in activities that encourage casual social interaction. Generally speaking, people are spending more time watching and less time doing. Because of this, people are less likely to know their neighbors and are even less inclined to make time for old friends. Although designers are not in a position to influence all factors contributing to the decrease in social capital, they can influence the design of spaces that help bring people together. Well-designed, connected communities give social capital a place to thrive.

When examining the characteristics of connected communities, findings show that neighbors often know one another (Sucher, 1996). Although familiar faces are important, face-to-face interactions have the most significant impact on human connection. When people learn how their neighbors live, work, and what they value, a better understanding of one another can develop (Gehl, 2011). The people encountered in the public realm become “known,” and that knowledge of others is the foundation for empathy, caring, and investment in people and the community. Neighbors who recognize and acknowledge one another are more likely to feel a sense of responsibility to one another—social capital at its best. Martin Luther King (1959) described this human-centered philosophy with the quote, “The geographical togetherness of the modern world makes our very existence dependent on co-existence” (para 11).

In larger communities, third places often serve as valued spots to relax and connect with others. However, they can play an even more essential role in smaller communities by providing settings where people can come together to organize various initiatives or local events (Maye et al., 2005; Mayo & Ross, 2009; Markham, 2014). These gatherings encourage community engagement, expand social networks, and help foster social capital (Putnam, 2000). In less advantaged communities, third places often provide an essential service. Hickman (2013) surmises that in addition to providing a social function in low-income communities, third places can serve functional roles as providers of critical services, amenities, and leisure opportunities that enhance well-being for residents. Residents of these communities are more likely to be economically challenged and are less able to participate outside of their local neighborhood (Hickman, 2013).

Residents often perceive third places as symbolic markers of health and vibrancy in a community (Hickman, 2013). Thus, if a third place closes, it may lead to concern for the community’s overall health. When communities are perceived to be in decline, there can be negative impacts on the residents, which can even lead to social malaise—especially if a favorite place closes (Coleman (1985). During the COVID pandemic, many restaurants struggled to stay open or switched to take-out orders only. Unfortunately, not all establishments made it through this challenging time. One example is Manna Café in Madison, WI, that closed due to struggles associated with the pandemic. A regular patron said, “We are very sad. The whole neighborhood is sad … it is going to be a loss for the neighborhood” (Mills, 2020, para 15). In summary, the presence of third places helps create more connected communities and increases opportunities for social capital.

Defining the Third Place

In 1977, sociologist Ray Oldenburg introduced the concept of third p...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1 The Role of Place in Our Lives
• 2 Human Behavior and the Third Place
• 3 Place Attachment and the Third Place
• 4 Identity and Messaging
• 5 Location and Building Type
• 6 Design Characteristics: Project Scope and Layout
• 7 Creating Ambiance in the Third Place
• 8 Case Studies
• Index