Interpretations of space

Abstract

According to our interpretation of space we, that is people in general, create and shape space, so it is important to do it consciously. Since space is not an element of physical reality, but consists of different complex systems, we can interpret it in different ways. The author does not review the main schools and all of the significant thinkers on space, but discusses the most influential approaches (modes of cognition) to space which have an important effect on the practical world, influence space-related discourse (political and public), and contribute to the shaping and creating of spaces. He distinguishes the objective approach of the absolute interpretation of space from the relational/relative space. He introduces the concept of dual approach, i. e. of objective material spaces and of (subjective) social spaces, as a Marxist theory. He presents Heidegger's concept of space at large, as a mode of being (Sein, Dasein). In each interpretation, he refers to their practical consequences. For example, a number of environmentalists, physical planners and geographers apply the absolute-space interpretation to maintain the appearance of objectivity. The new European regionalism is based on the Marxist dual concept of space. Heidegger’s concept seems to be the most abstract, the most theoretical construct, but it is closest to daily reality. The author points out that space and place ideas do not primarily mean difference in scale, but they carry different meanings, as there is a specific interaction between the abstract system or structure and the concrete place. With regard to these two basic ideas he discusses the related concepts of territory, placelessness, etc. The closing chapter of the study, not intended as a summary of the previously described interpretations, discusses the use of space as a concept in daily practice and planning. For the average person, space is the sum of his subjective experiences which are primarily linked to the world of everyday life. The space in which he lives is a kind of order and external endowment which offers opportunities and limitations. During planning, the planners (including all the contributors) develop and shape a specific space, which is the subject of a plan. The concrete physical and geographical area (or territory) is formed by the intention of planners and develops during the planning process.