Liminal: Toward a Space of Phenomenal Inclusion

Mixed use developments claim to promote urban growth; inclusiveness through walkable
and open areas; social health; and a sense of community. These developments, however, often lead to gentrification, exclusion, and community displacement. In order to leverage the latent, positive potential of this building typology, the concept of liminal space offers a mechanism for the introduction of attributes for social inclusion.

A liminal space is a transitional threshold between two different states that smooths the edges and blurs the boundary between them. As a passageway of an intentionally ambiguous character, a liminal space provokes curiosity and enhances expectations. A liminal space is a connector, eroding the barrier between user and space through a stimulation of sensory perception.