Architectural Theory III

Lovie Tey Yiqing

Of Other Spaces Summary and Opinion Essay

Of Other Spaces
by Michel Foucault

Summary and Opinion Essay

During the 19th century, a lecture on “Des Espaces Autres” was given by Michel
Foucault, a French historian and philosopher to a group of architects. Shortly before his
death, his text on this lecture was translated and widely published, strongly influencing
the philosophy that offers new ways to understand space and ultimately spatial creation
over time with his concept of ‘heterotopia’ by portraying different principles and elements
on the perception of space. Therefore, this essay is written with the intention of deeply
understanding the concept, in the meantime providing a relevant opinion of the literature
in comparison to how ‘heterotopia’ spaces affect human behaviour within.

In summary, the article ‘Of Other Space’ first described by Foucault by looking into
western culture’s historical development as he argues it’s bounded to our experience of
time, relating it to Galileo’s term of ‘emplacement’, which Galileo dissolved the discrete
and hierarchical spaces of the medieval era when he envisioned an infinitely open space,
“a thing’s place was no longer anything but a point in its movement”. Thus, Foucault
posits the nature of contemporary space as divergent locations, a term that replaces the
medieval notion of position space and the Galilean notion of expansion space. Then,
Foucault places the nature of contemporary space as unique locales, an idea that
replaces the medieval thought of the space of emplacement and the Galilean thought of
the space of expansion. From here, Foucault is saying that ‘emplacement’ wasn't created
by some supreme force; it’s a choice, like all rhetorical forms to prepare the world and its
human technologies and to form that organization seem reasonable and even necessary.
More importantly, though, Foucault states that the production of space (a "classroom"
amid a seemingly endless array of roads and buildings) is "haunted by fantasy"; it is the
choice of its inhabitants to adapt themselves to shared meaning. In other words, our
performances of emplacement are just as necessary as the designs and plans of its
architects. Furthermore, Foucault indicates that through time binary oppositions of space
has been shifted (of the open and close, public and private, sacred and profane), thus
eroding homogeneity and dialectical interrelation of spaces.

In other words, Foucault focuses on those places that bear a strange relationship
to different places by suspending, neutralizing or reversing those relationships by
imagining them, reflective or conceiving them. These different places can’t exist in utopia,
a.k.a an imaginary place in which everything is perfect and didn’t exist. Hence, Foucault
has set up a conception of space that is real and existing like ‘counter-sites’,
simultaneously representing and inverting all other conventional sites, namely
Heterotopia. To substantiate his new spatial type introduction on heterotopia, he uses the
mirror as a metaphor for its duality and contradiction theory, showing both the reality of
heterotopia and unreality of utopia as the reflection can be said as an unreal image,
meantime it is also real objects that are reflected to shape the image within. Then,

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Architectural Theory III
Lovie Tey Yiqing
Of Other Spaces Summary and Opinion Essay

Foucault postulates six principles of ‘heterotopology’ to determine different types of

heterotopias sites and its characteristics to govern the existence of said heterotopia
concept. First of all, he claims that heterotopia is part of every culture and manifested
differently in different times and places as it functions differently according to the
situation. This characteristic is seen in two different types of heterotopias, one being
heterotopia of crisis that caters to individuals who are in a state of crisis concerning
society; another being heterotopia of deviance, being sites for people who deviate from
norms in some way (eg rest homes and psychiatric hospitals) which requires isolation.
Furthermore, the second principle is shown through a heterotopia site that is affected by
the society that is refreshed over time, such as a cemetery where once holds utter
importance to be located in the centre of town, now is the contrary of being placed
further from town. Another characteristic of the heterotopia is within sites that are capable
of creating a different place, for example, the zoo and public garden that has animals or
plants from all across different countries/places within a compound. Next, sites such as
libraries with ancient books or festivals that separates us from the usual time and life are
said to be heterotopia that possesses a ‘slice in time’. In addition, heterotopia carries the
trait of a system that opens and closes that creates isolation or connection from itself to
the surroundings. Finally, the ultimate side is that of a heterotopia’s role in alternative
places, and making a made-up law and order whereas serves to stress its existence in
another location.

Having architecture as my major, I believe that architecture drives culture and

progression. Hence, based on my understanding of Foucault's conceptualization, my
opinion on heterotopia wasn’t directed merely towards relating it to any contemporary
space, but rather on how heterotopia as a site is affecting human behaviour as it is the
vicinity in occupant’s mind that heterotopic sites convey. For instance, taking Foucault’s
example of prison as heterotopic sites; it is designed in the exact opposite of the bright
and vibrant colours simply because they should feel being punished for their wrongdoings
instead of enjoyment, hence it is obvious that human behaviours are crucial in this
heterotopic site. Likewise old folks home, it’s heterotopic principle is affecting the
occupants by being soothing and calm where senior citizens could feel like home,
different from the ‘other’ space around. Therefore, old folks home is presented in soft
colours with cooling effect and soft materials, with additional features focused on being
patient-friendly (eg healing garden). Nevertheless, individual differences are bound to
exist so implementation is necessary to meet everyone’s psychological perception, hence
heterotopic sites are important to define the relationship between space and psychology.

With my humble opinion, the heterotopia concept posses by Foucault can control
human behaviour towards the sites, thus modifying the individual’s mood and perception,
no matter it’s natural or man-made. This has allowed an understanding of space in a way
which design and construction of space are taking into greater considerations to
influence a presupposed peoples behaviours.

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