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Learning the Concept of “In-Between” in Architecture from History and Practice Cover

Learning the Concept of “In-Between” in Architecture from History and Practice

Open Access
|Nov 2025

Abstract

The in-between space is a spatial concept that cannot be defined as either an interior space or an exterior space. It is seen as a bridge between the inside and the outside. The in-between space provides the protection offered by the interior, while at the same time allowing individuals to maintain contact with the outside. The objective of this study was to examine the differences in approaches to the creation of in-between space and the reasons behind the creation of this space between the past and the present. To this end, the study proposed a series of general frameworks for approaches to the creation of in-between space in traditional and contemporary architecture, which were developed through a comprehensive analysis of the extant literature on the concepts of in-between space in both traditional and contemporary architectural practices around the world. Utilising these frameworks, a set of examples of traditional architecture from various regions worldwide (the Middle East, the Balkans, and the Far East) and a set of modern buildings constructed after World War II until the present, from different regions worldwide, were analysed morphologically and spatially. The selection of these examples was based on the literature’s references to the presence of an in-between space. The study's findings revealed that, while the general frameworks are similar, there are remarkable differences in the approaches to the creation of in-between space and the social, functional, and environmental motivations behind its creation between traditional and contemporary architecture, due to the different technological possibilities between the past and present and the complex intellectual backgrounds behind the creation of in-between space in contemporary architecture. The fundamental objective of facilitating human interaction with the external environment persists as the paramount goal in the conception of interstitial space, irrespective of temporal distinctions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aup-2025-0012 | Journal eISSN: 2255-8764 | Journal ISSN: 1691-4333
Language: English
Page range: 151 - 167
Submitted on: Dec 21, 2024
Accepted on: Aug 22, 2025
Published on: Nov 19, 2025
Published by: Riga Technical University
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2025 Zubaidah Nadhem Mahmood ALZubaidi, Ayşe Sirel, published by Riga Technical University
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.