The politics of space
Power is sometimes such an ugly word.
As I sit here typing, there is a supposed ceasefire in Western Asia. But fuel prices in Southeast Asia are climbing rapidly again, and minds sit bewildered, confused by the reasons and angered by the indifference to the loss of life and property.
The ability to cause change and influence outcomes is power. But let us not confuse it with leadership.
People who take the path of leadership by example or inspiration are more charismatic and inspire rather than threaten. Conversely, aggressors are less charismatic when imposing their dominance—and almost always, less ethical and moral.
Spaces defining hierarchy
Power is something we learn in our youth, and part of its dimensions are the spaces into which we’ve grown.
The master’s bedroom, we understood, was the biggest bedroom in our childhood home because parents were the most powerful people in the household—Mom especially, as she had a dressing table and the larger closet.
Their room was also the most well-equipped. It had the largest bed and the biggest bathroom. Never mind that it packed their five or six children with them for movie nights—the TV and its rules of engagement further reinforced their authority.
Spaces and structures have always defined hierarchy and dominance. They have expressed ownership and ascendancy through the countless edifices built by kingdoms and dynasties, demonstrating how much, in both resources and will, a society is able to assert or project dominance over its neighbors—to the extent of pillage and plunder to enrich itself.
Seat of power
While community spaces are usually power-neutral, private and commercial areas are not.
Workspaces, for example, express power through acoustically insulated, glass-enclosed rooms for those in supervisory or managerial positions. Rank-and-file employees meanwhile sit in shared open spaces, deprived of privacy, often noisy, and spatially democratic. They are given the same work areas and amenities.
A long, large, and heavy boardroom table also shows dominance and hierarchy, with the dominant person taking the end of the table or one of the corners.
Similarly, a seat that faces the entry door of any room is the seat of power. No powerful person will sit in a vulnerable position with their back to the entryway.
Concept of segregation
In aircraft, money equates to privilege and power.
In First Class and Business Class, money not only buys wider seats, but also allows for easier ingress and egress into the plane, and provides proximity to the toilets. This demonstrates how power signals control over both space and time.
Partitioned seats or enclosed cabins further elevate power to the concept of segregation expressed through exclusivity, separateness, and privacy.
Power is also expressed in effortlessness—in places where doors open automatically, curtains are motorized, and hallways are wide and designed so that movement is seamless and unobstructed. Friction-free movement signals power and importance.
Promoting inclusivity
Commercial spaces that promote inclusivity often use round tables over rectilinear ones. Cafes that cater to large groups prefer round tables to signal unity, inclusion, and equality.
In Chinese dining, round tables are preferred, as seats can be redistributed evenly. No one faces an empty seat. Everyone belongs. It’s a very democratic configuration.
Spatial distribution itself expresses power. Lofty ceilings and expansive spaces suggest power, where scale alone makes one feel small, alienated, and insignificant.
Conversely, smaller spaces invite intimacy and belonging. This is where space itself wields its power—in how its proportions and configurations influence human beings and shape their state of mind in a powerful yet intangible way.
Spaces shaping behavior, emotion
Ultimately, spaces do not only organize bodies; they shape behavior and emotion. Some spaces command silence; others invite participation. Some intimidate; others reassure.
In many situations, power is imposed and felt. In others, it is orchestrated, subtly embedded in the quiet cues of space, where influence is not declared, but intuitively understood.
The author is a principal architect of Asuncion-Berenguer Inc., a full-service architectural and interior design firm recognized for designing experiences and spaces that elevate everyday living through thoughtfully crafted environments. Contact her through @isabelbasuncion
