03/11/2026
A concept that has been quietly evolving over the past few years is the rise of wellness “third spaces.”
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg originally coined the term third place to describe environments outside of home (first place) and work (second place) where people gather and build relationships, historically places like cafés, bars, libraries, and community centers.
Today, that concept is being reimagined.
Across cities globally, a new category of wellness-centered third spaces is emerging. These environments combine social connection with health-oriented experiences, offering things like saunas, cold plunges, breath work sessions, recovery lounges, and sober social bars.
Examples include concepts like Bathhouse, Othership, and now NRG Haus in Toronto, a social wellness destination designed around nervous system regulation, recovery, and community.
What makes this trend particularly interesting is that these businesses are not simply wellness studios. They are becoming a new form of social infrastructure within cities.
As consumer priorities shift toward preventative health, emotional well-being, and meaningful connection, spaces designed around wellness are beginning to fill the role that traditional social venues once held.
From a real estate perspective, this represents an emerging category of tenant and development opportunity, one that blends wellness, hospitality, and community design.
The idea of “third places” isn’t new. The form they take may be as the trends are clearly evolving.
