Third places as territorial infrastructures: a planning framework for shrinking inner areas

Planning in shrinking territories faces a cycle of demographic decline, service withdrawal, and economic fragility. While Italy’s inner areas strategy attempts to intervene, a gap persists between service provision and local development. This article argues that third places can bridge this gap by functioning as territorial infrastructures. By studying the Piceno area through an extended economic base and morpho-typological analysis, the research demonstrates that the viability of third places depends on specific income flows, built environments and institutional frameworks. Ultimately, the study offers a transferable post-growth planning method and positions hybrid infrastructures as vital tools for cohesion in peripheral regions.