We usually think of spaceas being defined by something physical like, for example, a wall or hedge that may define someone’s back yard. However, people employ all sorts of strategies to define and control space. This became very clear when I worked in a under-resourced community with rival gangs that had subdivided the neighborhood. I remember getting a tour from a local who pointed out street curbs and imaginary lines between building edges that defined areas where I was not allowed to walk. These boundaries were well known by all the residents and adhered to strictly to avoid bodily harm. It was obvious to me that these non-physical borders were far more powerful than any back yard wall or fence.
Space can also be defined and controlled using sound. I don’t know anyone who feels comfortable approaching a car that is vibrating and shaking from the music being played inside it. I usually avoid pulling up next to a car that is pulsating with chest-thumping intensity. People also use earphones or a cell phone to carve out a personal space in a crowded environment. Both of these devices signal that one is occupied – making it less likely they will be approached or required to make eye contact. Sunglasses can have a similar spatial impact. We often use lights to form intimate spaces within a large room. All these spatial strategies are more ephemeral and temporal than a wall or fence but by many measures are more impactful.
It is interesting to note that constructing material boundaries requires resources, planning, permits and takes a considerable amount of time. This is why most people living their everyday lives define their spaces in more temporal ways. This is certainly true of people who lack the means to purchase or physically construct their own spaces.
For a few dollars one can buy some spray paint and tag a building that cost millions of dollars – thereby staking claim to some territory. If you can’t afford the spray paint, damaging something can produce the same effect. We have all seen images of frustrated protesters breaking windows or perhaps setting a car on fire in order to disrupt and control a space for a period of time.
Some perceive the entire built environment as a series of boundaries and controls – people vying for space and territory. Who is allowed to walk through a particular doorway, access a beach or pass through a particular gate? Who has the privilege and/or permission to occupy a particular space? The truth is, we all need space that we control to live out our lives. We use the resources that are available to define and control those spaces. While we usually favor and become enamored by elaborate spaces that require substantial capital investment, the temporal, everyday means of defining space can be much more dynamic and are often more interesting to consider