Non-Place is a term coined by the French anthropologist Marc Augé to refer to spaces of transit and anonymity that are not significant enough to be regarded as a place. Non-places are often ubiquitous, modern, and homogenous, such as airports, highways, malls, and restaurants. These spaces share many characteristics, such as being anonymous, indeterminate, and non-hierarchical. In non-places, meaningful relationships are often absent, leading to feelings of alienation and a lack of connection with others. Furthermore, non-places are often highly functional, created to facilitate the efficient movement of people and goods.
transit, anonymity, modern, homogenous, alienation, efficient movement.
Non-Place is a concept developed by French philosopher Marc Augé which refers to any space that has no cultural or identity-based characteristics, meaning it is not a place in the traditional sense of the word. It is a space where people move through moments of their life, rather than occupying it as a place of living or a destination. Examples of non-places could be airports, highways, supermarkets, highways, parking lots, malls, and other anonymous and interchangeable spaces with little or no sense of community. For architects and designers, creating a sense of place is a key component in creating a space that people can connect with emotionally and culturally.
Non-places, anonymous space, Marc Augé, placeless space, architecture and design.
CITATION : "Lauren Moore. 'Non-Place.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=195091 (Accessed on August 05, 2025)"
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