Sociology of space: Models of interpretation

Abstract

The space and its architecture has been considered within sociology as an original creation, marked by social and historical characteristics. In view of the diversity of the problematic, sociology has seen through the lenses of the territory and the lived space the conceptualization of social practices, socialization processes, and decision mechanisms as signs of the functioning of societies. The analysis of the link between the social and the spatial has fuelled theoretical debates on the explanation of uses. For some, the essential is the way in which individuals, groups, institutions, and society express, in the space, the rules of social play; others highlight the importance of the physical, architectural and urban dimensions, giving emphasis to material forms for explaining practices. Since the 1970s, in France, the link between forms and societies has been strengthened by disciplinary articulations between Anthropology, Sociology, Architecture and Urbanism, thus fostering research on the role of those who plan and materialize the aspirations of societies, groups and population. In order to develop the principles and contributions of this Sociology of Space, we present its theoretical foundations, based on personal and limited choice of authors. Then a look into three of the most important French residential experiences shows its relevance.