Reticular Topographies

Special Report: Topography and Topology
By Boris Beaude, Nicolas Nova
English

Understanding the hesitation between topographic and topological representations of space requires a better conception of space itself. When it is shown to be essentially relational and relative, positional and absolute approaches to space prove to be no more than particular points of view, and the impression of their reality can be maintained only through the relative stability of the entities considered. By taking the example of the digital traces used to produce new representations of urban practices, this article highlights the extent to which spatial practices are themselves essentially relational. It also shows how maps reproduce illusions of territory where there are actually only networks, and what the implications of such representations are when they are used as a reference in action.

Go to the article on Cairn-int.info