Havas has its villages, WPP has its campuses and now Allen & Gerritsen has its “Third Spaces.” That’s what the agency is calling the new locations in Boston and Philadelphia where employees will gather to do their work when they're not working from home. 

Not so long ago these locations were known as offices, a word that A&G has officially “retired” as a way of defining the new places where its employees will gather to work. 

The term “Third Space” was coined by author Ray Oldenburg to define “public spaces that host the regular, voluntary, informal ...gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.” 

The new digs (and new name for them) were conceived as A&G went about the task of reimagining its post-COVID work environments. 

Along with the office moniker, individual desks and assigned seating have also been jettisoned. Seats can be “booked” via agency software in advance of a day of work planned in one of the new spaces, which feature “living room style” settings and other gathering spots. 

Commenting on the new set up agency CEO Andrew Graff said, “As a company, we believe being together with intention is in fact important to the success of our business, and that flexibility will help improve overall agency productivity, employee well-being and engagement.  So, instead of a focus on solitary offices and desks, we focus on maximizing shared spaces to think, create and make together.”