Liminal experiences in the urban environment

Abstract

How often can one say that they are truly being - not doing, but simply existing in space? This dissertation delves into this profound notion of being-there and experiencing the urban spaces that facilitate this state of existence, the spaces in-between, the liminal spaces. As Heidegger (1927) described, being or Dasein allows for simply existing and experiencing a sense of the lifeworld and a sense of the self. Being with oneself and with others, highlighting humans as social beings with the intention of observing, understanding, and investigating the external world. In this context, liminality refers to the state of existing within a threshold - between spaces or phases - where individuals find themselves neither fully part of one state nor fully belonging to another; shedding light on the transformative potential of these transitional phases and spaces as one is not bound to any specific role (Van Gennep, 1909). This research focuses on urban space within Valletta, where the privatisation of the public realm is evident as one navigates the city. The city’s entrenchment in commercial interests and capitalism has led to the sacrifice of spaces meant for the people, thus, conforming to the expectations of das Man, the societal norms, as individuals lose sight of their own authentic existence (Heidegger, 1927). This dissertation aims to reclaim the role of urban space as a public and individualised domain, uncovering and highlighting the liminal spaces within Valletta, spaces that prioritise the human and the human experience. Through a hermeneutic phenomenological analysis (HPA) of the city, the study provides insight into these liminal experiences, examining how individuals occupy urban spaces, unveiling emerging themes of behaviour as they stay, linger, and exist within these transitional environments. A documentation of Valletta reveals how liminal spaces allow individuals to fully experience their surroundings without the constraints of consumerist culture, enabling authentic self-expression and deeper social interactions. Through this, this research aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how these spaces contribute to the urban environment, showing their importance in the public realm, and advocating for urban planning that prioritises human experience over economic considerations. The study reveals how these spaces provide a temporary escape from societal roles, fostering genuine human connections and forming transient communities that enhance the social fabric of the city. Thus, revealing the importance of being in space and time, as individuals step out of the chaos of the everyday, the routines, and pause for a moment, within this temporal threshold of lived experience, which exists as an opportunity for the cultivation of collective communal identity and a sense of belonging.