A Function-based model of Place

Abstract

People assign context to space by defining places. Formalizing place enables digital systems to provide a human-centred representation of the geographical world. In this paper we propose a multi-dimensional definition of place including spatial properties, composition and functionality. These dimensions define place as a set of functions, which entail a spatial structure expressed in patterns of spatial descriptions. Relying on this model, it is possible to define places as space infused with functional context by converting geometries to interrelated components that support certain functions.