What is Heterotopia

This chapter coins the concept of fourth space as a cinematic methodological tool for architectural design and interpretation. Fourth space deals with the in-between activities and events that socially construct space. As an extension to Edward Soja's theory of third space, which is the socio-mental and physical experience of space, fourth space illustrates the metaphysical narrative articulation of space, i.e. how individuals tell the story of such experience. Similar to cinematic images, it portrays temporal and spatial narratives that are subjectively composed by the viewers. The chapter puts fourth space into practice by highlighting two workshops co-organized by the author in two different institutions. Though both workshops differed in the nature of the output, the participants were asked to cinematically comprehend and reconstruct the reality and spatiality of the surrounding environment. Eventually, the author establishes fourth space as abstracted representational thinking in the design process.