summary and critical response 2

Michelle Bussert

ELI 182

Summary/Response

December 11, 2018

You Write an Original Title Using Your Own Words

The article “The New Oases”, which appeared in The Economist in 2008, provides

background on third places and explains why they are important in society. The author starts the

article by saying that Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Stata Center is a unique

place where students and professors can study, eat, mingle, and even nap. It was designed as a

new type of “hybrid space”. The author mentions that this is a change from the 20th century,

when architects designed buildings and spaces for specialized purposes. The article goes on to

explain that Ray Oldenburg created a term for this new type of multifunctional space; he calls

them “third places”. Third places are not home nor work, they are a neutral space and serve a

social purpose; according to the article. The writer then discusses a problem among third spaces.

They can be full of people using computers or cellphones, and even with headphones, but there is

no communication between them. However, the article points out that café owners and others are

implementing ideas that will make patrons mingle more. The final point the author makes is that

third places are changing cities and suburbs, creating more spaces that are multiuse.

The author is surely right about third spaces because my experience going to Starbucks

and CMU’s library confirms it. We will talk more about the response next class.

References

The new oases. (2008, April 10). The Economist. Retrieved from

https://www.economist.com/special-report/2008/04/10/the-new-oases

Your reference will be different because you have the name of the article’s author.

Author's Last Name, Author's First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of

Newspaper. Retrieved from https://www.