Rethinking Third Place in Innovation District: A Case Study of Keyun Innovation District

Currently, China is experiencing a transition in its economic and social development, shifting from a period of rapid growth to one focused on high-quality development. In this context, innovation has emerged as a crucial driving force and strategic pillar in the ongoing establishment of a modern economic system. However, the progress of urban innovation space development has somewhat lagged, resulting in suboptimal quality of such spaces and giving rise to issues such as the lack of distinctiveness in urban development and insufficient vitality for innovation. These challenges have diminished the appeal of cities to knowledge workers, impeding the transition into a virtuous cycle driven by innovation. This article aims to elucidate the concept of urban innovation districts by integrating it with the developmental stage of the Guangzhou Keyun Innovation District. By delving into the demands of knowledge workers for the third place, a comprehensive analysis combining theoretical research and the examination of the current state of development in Guangzhou's traditional science and technology parks is conducted. Through the utilization of literature analysis methods, this study explores the emerging trends and novel requirements associated with the present innovation-driven development in cities within our country. The study is dedicated to offering a systematic exploration of the "third place development strategy in innovation district guided by the needs of knowledge workers. This analysis delves into the new trends and requirements of urban innovation-driven development in our country. It proceeds to organize and summarize the key concepts of knowledge workers, innovative industries, innovative neighbourhoods, and the third place. The chapter then outlines the research content, methods, and framework to be employed in this paper, providing an overall overview of the entire study. The theoretical research primarily focuses on characterizing, classifying, and identifying two key theories' requirements and design strategies: innovation district and third place. As knowledge workers serve as the focal point, the research emphasizes the need to strike a balance between work and life within the innovation district, while stimulating innovation ability through the third place. This approach provides a theoretical foundation for subsequent strategies. Furthermore, the paper conducts case analyses of domestic and international exceptional innovation districts, paying specific attention to their third place. These case studies serve to summarize valuable experiences, raise pertinent scientific questions, and pave the way for the theoretical framework in the ensuing chapters. An overall strategy for road planning and function distribution is proposed under the innovative concept to address these issues and based on the design requirements of the innovation district for the urban spatial structure. The chapter introduces the theoretical framework of the third place design within the innovation district and combines it with the guidance of the overall design theory of the innovative city. As a result, the overall urban design of the Keyun Innovation District is carried out, incorporating the third place theory along with the functional characteristics of the site to establish a systematic third place network. Subsequently, the details of the urban design practices implemented in the Keyun Innovation District.