User:Alessia/liminal

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Space vs Place

Each culture defines the concepts of space and place in a unique way. They take on almost fluid forms, taking the shape of the context in which they are applied like water in a container.
Space is multidimensional. It’s typically understood in terms of direction, volume, and distance, sp with a strong mathematical character, an abstract form.
Instead Place is much more relative, connected to a more personal perception and subjective experience of the world. A place holds significance, identity. Places are where people live and interact, making them rich with cultural and social meanings.
When thinking about space in a much more conceptual aspect, George Simmel is the first one popping up. Simmel worked on conceptualising space from a sociological point of view, being focused on its materiality and spatiality rather than treating it as a non material concept.
He explored how space shapes social relations and individual experiences around cities, markets, and how they function as hubs for social interactions connected to the negotiation of power between individuals.
A key point of Simmel’s theory is spatial differentiation. He argued that different social groups and individuals perceive and use space in different ways, always reflecting their own social status, cultural backgrounds, and personal identities. This differentiation can lead to spatial hierarchies and segregation.
Simmel emphasised that space is not static but constantly shaped by human activities.

Following these studies, Doreen Massey rethought the concept of space while calling attention to how spatial relations between people, cities, and actions are the main point of focus to understand power structures. She describes space as "unfixed, contested, and multiple," showing that places are dynamic, in a constant evolutionary state. Massey's perspective can be aligned with the ecological idea of the earth as a single breathing organism, which can be maybe understood as fractal in a sense, because of its interconnectedness.

Keith Basso introduces an interesting concept, interanimation, a process where people and places engage in an ecological relationship, creating a unique web of meaning. This dynamic that builds space make places seem alive even in the wildest stillness.

_ E un'immagine che descrive il processo di interanimation durante il quale il paesaggio geografico si sovrappone a quello mentale nel momento in cui un luogo viene sentito (sensed) in maniera attiva (107). "Un'oscura sete". Natura nella Milano di Milo De Angelis _