Biopolitics, Space, and the Critical Position of the Architect-Subject

Abstract

Space is a heterogeneous construction involving interplay between social actors and physical
components that is produced and consumed through everyday experiences and bodily
practices. The fact that space is not merely a physical expression but also an embodiment of
sociality is the basis of the complex relationship between humans and space. While it defines
the movements, expressions, and boundaries, it also reveals the power relations that mold the
body. The aim of this research is to examine biopolitics as mechanism of power that regulates
biological life and spatiality of bodies. By adopting a historical perspective, the research
demonstrates how space has been biopolitically instrumentalized as an apparatus, while
questioning the position of architecture and the influence of the architect-subject. The research
offers current perspectives by providing recent critiques about the architect-subject’s position
within the creative process.