THE MODERN DESIGN STUDIO AS A «THIRD SPACE»
15 MINUTE READ. PUBLISHED 25 SEPT 2025.
CREATIVE COMMONS CC BY ELECTRO STRATEGY STUDIO. WRITTEN BY ADRIAN JARVIS.
TL;DR Modern design studios should be built as Third Spaces. A commercial and creative model where people, projects, communities and economics build virtuous value. To work, it needs to have the right mix of people, economics, accountability, networks and infrastructure.
PART 1 — ECONOMICS OF THIRD SPACE STUDIOS.
WHAT ARE THIRD SPACES?
The idea of the Third Space comes from sociology and cultural theory. Homi Bhabha, in Third Space theory, highlighted a zone where cultures meet, mix and reshape identity. Ray Oldenburg, who coined the term, described spaces outside home and work where people gather as equals.
Both of these influential voices highlight some important truths:
New ideas and forms emerge when we reexamine extremes.
Membership comes through contribution, rather than hierarchy.
Traditional concepts of home, work and community are no longer distinct.
The practice of Third Spaces is relevant to modern studios as they stand between many extremes; art and commerce, algorithms and culture, ideas both big and small, hybrid and remote, local and global, red and blue… Boundaries have become blurred and rules are being renegotiated.
Often clients no longer look for fixed processes and templated expertise. They are looking for partners to help them navigate category paradox and cultural friction… and, vitally, be creatively original in a world that is increasingly uncertain.
CASE STUDY: Studio Rejane Dal Bello in London operates as a graphic design practice where commercial work, cultural projects and social impact overlap; treating design as a civic as well as a commercial imperative.
A FEW CREDITS…
This thinking has been shaped by working with Accept & Proceed, BrandTech Consulting, Proxy Studio, R/GA, Studio Everywhere, and 20Something. Other influences include Jon Alexander, Dark Matter Labs, Extinction Rebellion, Crass, the potential of DAO, and the continued resilience of employee-ownership models... and to many collaborators over the years; from Helsinki to Tokyo.
MARKET DEMAND FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF STUDIO.
Modern studios face challenges that cannot be solved by traditional models and thinking. They are neither a design factory nor exemplars of design theory. Modern studios have to become a more participatory space. A place where designers, strategists, clients and communities come together to build what is next. Beyond marketing, to influence the fabric of client organisations.
POLARISED DEMANDS: bold creativity and strict efficiency; global reach and local sensitivity.
BROKEN FRAMEWORKS: rethinking how brands really grow; navigating an AI-driven digital world.
BLURRED BOUNDARIES: design is not just output; design is co-creation, dialogue and partnership.
UNCERTAIN FUTURES: demand for new ways of working; dynamics of technology, culture and markets.
MAKING A THIRD SPACE STUDIO WORK.
Ideas and principals will do not keep a studio alive. To sustainably function as a true Third Space, principles must be backed by commercial and social discipline:
THE RIGHT PEOPLE. Curiosity and cultural fluency matter as much as models and concepts.
THEMES AND TIMESCALES. Macro challenges and milestones provide a filter for new business.
CLEAR ECONOMICS. Projects, fees and partnerships fund commercial sustainability.
BALANCED ACCOUNTABILITY. Design freedom works with shared credit and responsibility.
EXPERT NETWORK. Connecting with a range of expertise brings new perspectives.
DURABLE INFRASTRUCTURE. Contracts, payroll, tax and insurance are scaffolding for creativity.
CASE STUDY: SPACE10, IKEA’s external research and design lab, explored solutions to macro trends from food systems to urban futures. At the right point in 2023, the experiment closed, so IKEA could shift toward a more distributed, tech-driven model for innovation.
COMMERCIAL MODELS THAT ALIGN PROFIT AND PRACTICE.
To be financially sustainable, studios have to maintain employees, pay rent and ensure investor return. This requires a business model designed to align profit and practice:
CLIENT PROJECTS: Commissioned strategy, design and cultural research remain the backbone of creative businesses. Effective planning ensure work is commercially and creatively viable.
PARTNERSHIP MODELS: Co-design, shared IP and joint ventures provide much needed ways to create additive value and advantage; especially in highly commoditised and competitive markets.
PROGRAMS AND TOOLKITS: Building repeatable, participatory methods can create value for client’s business, and ideally fund creative (and technological) experimentation.
ADVISORY AND SPEAKING: From boardrooms to forums, strategic advisory contributes to commercial survival, while extending the reach of the studio’s thinking and values.
PART 2 — PRINCIPLES OF THIRD SPACE STUDIOS.
CASE STUDY: Accept & Proceed developed a new model in 2025 called New Patterns that focuses on building talent, clients and community. Everyone in the studio contributed to the vision, philosophy, methods and process.
PRINCIPLE 1: HORIZONS OF TRAVEL.
1.1 TEST FUTURES.
A modern studio anticipates and reacts to change. Looking beyond immediate briefs to understand long-term shifts in society, technology and culture. Helping clients navigate uncertainty and build a more confidence view of the future.
Imagine, a project on urban mobility, the studio runs foresight workshops with policymakers, mobility start-ups and citizen groups. The work explores scenarios to make ‘futures’ tangible for decision-making and design.
Third Spaces are experimental. They are places of transition, where new forms emerge and identities are reshaped. Strategic foresight mirrors this, creating spaces to test possible futures before they arrive.
Toolsets; Scenario planning, horizons scanning, weak signals, speculative sprints, trend watching.
1.2 FLUID AND ADAPTIVE.
A modern studio resists the diktat of methods. Each challenge is shaped in context, through a dialogue with stakeholders and communities. Flexibility and pragmatism matter more than defending a single school of thought or proven process.
Imagine, a client questions ‘design thinking’ rhetoric. The team adapts to use narrative-based workshops instead of fixed process documents, to achieve effective cross-team collaboration.
Third Spaces are fluid and adaptive, thriving on human exchange rather than rigid rules.
Toolsets; systems mapping, cultural research, mixed-method toolkits, multidiscipline workspaces.
1.3 WHERE CULTURES MEET.
A modern studio must act as a bridge between worlds. Help clients navigate cultural codes, social shifts and political signals. Ideas land with relevance and cultural respect when expression is not about smoothing differences away, rather ensuring they are visible and inspirational.
Imagine, a global brand campaign across Europe. The studio convenes cultural researchers so that the work evolves. Each reflecting local insights, with a shared global core.
Third Spaces thrive where cultures meet. Identity and cultural translation turns difference into productive energy with the power to break down social barriers.
Toolsets; cross-cultural research, semiotics, narrative mapping, participatory workshops, localisation frameworks.
CASE STUDY: Civic Creative Base Tokyo is described as a future-focused creative hub in Tokyo that hosts workshops, public dialogue and digital futures programming. The aim is to bring local and global minds together in a space for conversation and experimentation, acting as a accelerator for civic and creative interaction.
PRINCIPLE 2: COLLECTIVE VALUE.
2.1 SHARED REWARD.
A modern studio is a shared movement. Clients, partners and associates move forward together. Milestones are collective wins, not personal trophies. Recognising frictions between expectations and experiences that shape how people view the world.
Imagine, design sprint with a global enterprise ends with joint recognition for clients, partners, and designers. Everyone owns the outcome, specific recognitions get rewarded.
Third Spaces are like co-ops or community hubs where progress is collective and grounded in shared effort and reward.
Toolsets; co-creation labs, collaborative roadmaps, journey mapping.
2.2 DIVERSE VOICES.
A modern studio extends beyond its walls. We connect to expert networks, civic groups and industry communities, treating them as decision-shaping partners as well as distant stakeholders. Design succeed when it responds to the collective needs of those who live challenges every day.
Imagine, a smart cities project where the studio works with the municipal client, transport planners, data scientists, community advocates and a network of expert activists. Each group contributes specific expertise reflecting their realities and responsibilities.
Third Spaces look for diverse voices to negotiate shared outcomes. Community connections bring this same spirit into design. Ensuring decisions are informed by knowledge and responsibility.
Toolsets; ecosystem mapping, expert networks, citizen participation, feedback studies.
2.3 BETWEEN THE POLES.
A modern studio thrives by being grounded. Space for bold ideas, while ensuring the stability of fair pay, clear approaches and shared accountability. Recognising the pull of extremes and their importance to define the edges of what is possible, and often necessary.
Imagine, a cultural project starts as futures lab, then shifts into commercial delivery with strict budgets. Both modes are honoured, creating a sustainable business model.
Third Spaces stand between poles. Proof and risk, imaginary and physical. Strength comes from balancing extremes.
Toolsets; polarity mapping, multi-track project planning, capacity-based resourcing.
CASE STUDY: Atelier Gardens in Berlin is a former film studio that has been turned into a civic campus where individual designers, activists and small NGOs work to shape shared cultural and community projects.
PRINCIPLE 3: INDIVIDUAL AGENCY.
3.1 PRESENCE AND CONTRIBUTION.
In modern studios, membership is built by what people add. Recognition comes from meaningful input, beyond titles or status. Everyone can contribute to the outcome.
Imagine, a contributor spots accessibility issues in a prototype. Their suggestion shapes a key design change, earning genuine recognition from the team.
Third Spaces reward participation. Presence and contribution shape an individual’s place in the community and strength of the space.
Toolsets; critique circles, open design sessions, contribution-based recognition.
3.2 SHAPING THE CULTURE.
Modern studios thrive when each associate and partner shapes their own role and voice. Freedom to lead projects, take risks, and shape their craft.
Imagine, a junior designer asks to lead visual direction on a brand refresh. Their initiative is backed by the team, and the resulting concepts leads to a number of new directions.
Third Spaces allow people to shape the culture. As individuals show-up and take part, the studio encourages intentional and structured contributions.
Toolsets; personal growth plans, mentorship networks, role-shaping sessions.
3.3 SHARED STEWARDSHIP.
A modern studio is sustained though many lines of trust. Creativity has to be matched with delivery: to each other, to clients, and to the people who will live with what we design. Credit and responsibility are always shared.
Imagine, a product launch fails to meet expectations. Instead of blame falling on one role, the whole team steps in to understand what went wrong, revises together, and re-presents. The failure becomes an opportunity for change across the studio.
Third Spaces survive through shared stewardship. Community gardens, co-ops, and activist groups work more effectively when accountability is mutual. A studio is no different.
Toolsets; responsibility mapping, team retrospectives, shared credit frameworks, stewardship models.
CASE STUDY: Dark Matter Labs frame their work through systems thinking, publishing Life Ennobling Economics as their South Star and founding principles for reimagining civic and economic futures.
GET IN TOUCH TO DISCUSS STUDIO MODELS…
This article was written by Adrian Jarvis, who founded Electro, an independent strategy studio based in East London.
Adrian has over 30 years experience of working with enterprises of all sizes. The principles discussed here are highly scalable from start-ups to multinationals, across a range of categories. Find out more.