nonplace

Nonplace is a term in anthropology and sociology that designates spaces marked by anonymity, transience, and a lack of social integration. It was introduced by French anthropologist Marc Augé in his study Non-places: An Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity. The concept contrasts with place (lieu), which is rooted in memory, identity, and social relations.

Core characteristics of nonplaces include spaces of circulation and function rather than gathering or belonging. They are designed to optimize movement and exchange, often feature standardized architecture and signage, and produce fleeting, impersonal encounters. They typically lack historical meaning, durable social ties, or a sense of communal occupancy.

Common examples are airports, motorways and service stations, hotel lobbies, train stations, shopping malls, and other transit hubs. Some analyses extend the idea to digital environments where online platforms and networks can create similarly transient, anonymized experiences, though the term originally referred to physical spaces.

The concept is associated with late modernity or globalization, where rapid mobility and deterritorialization contribute to spaces that are functional rather than relational. Nonplaces respond to efficiency and dispersal, but critics note that they can acquire meaning through use, memory, or social practices.

Critiques also point to cultural variability and the potential for design, commerce, or routine to transform a nonplace into a place with social significance. The term remains influential in studies of architecture, urbanism, and anthropology as a way to analyze contemporary space.