- Finding Comfort in Liminality -
The Decameron | Giovanni Boccaccio
Embedded Files
Prompt: World building/Place Making on UCI Campus - Where and how does this university provide spaces for retreating, reflecting, critiquing, and building worlds with others?
The Decameron, The Garden of the Villa by Theodor Baierl, 1918-1924
// Retreat, but not Defeat.
// Retreat, but not Defeat.
To escape plague-ridden Florence, the brigata flees to the countryside and isolates themselves in a world of their own. The wonderful gardens and meadows in which they take up residency provide temporary escapism from the harsh reality of death and human suffering.
❝ . . . we must find a way to arrange things so that no matter where we go in quest of fun and relaxation, trouble and scandal do not follow us there. ❞
— Boccaccio, The Decameron Day 1 Introduction
One interesting thing I noticed in Professor Shemek's lecture is that the brigata's retreat was presented in a very positive light. Typically, the word escapism carries a negative connotation and is associated with the act of running away from one's responsibilities. For the brigata, however, escapism is not an admission of defeat. Far from avoiding their responsibilities, they used this opportunity to rebuild community and rekindle the lost flames of humanity.
Liminal Space and Third Places
Liminal Space and Third Places
The OED defines liminal as "transitional or intermediate between two states."
The OED defines liminal as "transitional or intermediate between two states."
The temporary nature of the brigata's retreat makes their safe haven a liminal space.
The brigata's location can also be characterized as a third place.
The brigata's location can also be characterized as a third place.
Third places are spaces where people can socialize and engage in their community.
// Liminal Spaces on Campus
// Liminal Spaces on Campus
- Bucklebury -
- Bucklebury -
Bucklebury is like my version of the brigata's gardens. It's such a lovely hidden gem <3
It's probably the place I spend the most time in other than my dorm. When I'm in my room, I get easily distracted and become utterly unproductive. For me, Bucklebury is liminal in the sense that I only ever come here to be productive and do homework. In fact, I'm sitting in Bucklebury as I write this. Once that purpose is fulfilled, I leave.
Bucklebury also functions as a third place. From my observation, people usually come to Bucklebury with their friends. I'm also one of those people. I like having an accountability buddy when I work, lol. The complaints about homework chatters you share with friends in between doing homework are the best.
- Wellinghall -
- Wellinghall -
Wellinghall is my second favorite study spot after Bucklebury. It is my go-to place for when Bucklebury feels too relaxing and I need to be EXTRA locked in. It also acts as a transitional space for when I have an hour or so in between classes—not enough time to sit down and properly work, but just enough time to mess around on my computer for a bit :)
The two study halls are like the different gardens that the brigata move between. They are confined spaces that share a similar purpose. One could even say, in this liminal space, I attempt to exercise and build intellect. This space is structured intentionally to encourage collaboration, with the whiteboards and whatnot, which is pretty cool.
// Liminal space, but make it aesthetic
// Liminal space, but make it aesthetic
As an aesthetic, liminal spaces are empty or abandoned transitional spaces. Images with the liminal aesthetic feel eerie, yet oddly comforting. You get the feeling that the space should be populated, but instead it's completely devoid of human activity.
Some examples of liminal spaces:
Well, although I would say the photos I took don't *quite* meet the criteria of liminal, it certainly felt that way walking through these spaces.
On the left are stairs that take you to Brandywine and on the right is the passageway between the Middle Earth Towers. These are spaces that you pass by without a second thought; they're nothing more than the transitional space between you and your destination.
I quite enjoy liminal spaces like these, especially at night when there's no one around. For a brief moment, it's as if I'm transported into a different dimension. Still connected to the real world, but there's no one there to perceive me. Therefore, my perception of self and the world around me is at its most authentic state. It feels good to just exist. It's vulnerable. It's comforting.
Sometimes I want to escape reality for just a bit. I.e. not thinking about the never-ending to-do list. Liminal spaces satisfy those needs.
Liminal space = best place for retreating and reflection. 10/10 would recommend.
Demarcation of Space
Demarcation of Space
On Day 3, the brigata moves into a walled garden, an enclosed space. UCI's campus is very much the opposite—it is a big, open space. However, I would argue that visually, the campus is divided into self-contained sections through different architectural styles and trees.
Top left: Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) lines the winding passage behind Middle Earth.
Top right: strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) in front of Brandywine.
I've come to associate different parts of campus with different trees. Just like how every day of The Decameron has a theme, every section of campus has a theme: the Engineering area, ICS, Humanities, and so on. These sections each have a distinct identity, partly shaped by their respective iconic trees.
And below are what I call the Eucalyptus forests. I have a terrible sense of direction and they are my beacons.
I just think they're neat :)
Reflection
Reflection
Hey, would you look at that? It's a webpage that is somewhat of a 5-minute read!
For this entry of the digital archive, I started off pretty strong. However, I feel like the connection to The Decameron became weaker and weaker as the page went on. I knew I wanted to do something with the concept of liminal space and reflect on my experience in those spaces, but I had trouble connecting it back to The Decameron. My introspection on solitude may have strayed away from the prompt "building worlds with others," but it is something near and dear to my heart so I've decided to keep it :] I'm not 100% satisfied with the page layout (and, quite frankly, the content) so I might change up some things in the future.
References / Image Credits
References / Image Credits
Sources:
Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron (Norton Critical Edition). Edited and translated by Wayne A. Rebhorn. Norton, 2016.
Header Image: NGC 602
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration
Other Images: liminal, third places
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