Heterotopia is a term which was firstly raised by the French Philosopher, Michel Foucault. In a lecture given at 1967 in
front of Architects, he meant to conceptualize the ''other place'' (In Latin: Hetero = other, Topus = place). The heterotopia is a
location which stand against the heart of society and gives it the meaning of being such. Foucault define those places as utopia which came true, because they contrasting reality in multidimensional ways.
The Advantage of Heterotopia over Utopia is at its closed exits to the Ideal world, even though it exists in the real world. Utopia exists nowhere. It exists in the verbal dimension, but not in reality. Utopia is like a mirror for Foucault, we can''t reach this place, which transform the routine
practices.
Heterotopia is like the fame of the mirror. This is a reachable dimension, which we can locate and understand. In Heterotiopia there are also transformations of practices and humankind can use it for reflection. For Foucault, every society needs to reflect itself, watch the Metaphorical mirror which define them and giving its meaning.
Foucault define 3 kinds of Heterotopies:
A) Heterotopies which transform practices like mental hospitals, cemeteries and collages
B) Heterotopies which neutralize practices like foreign embassy within other nation
C) Heterotopies which postpone practices like natural disaster.
Every Heterotopia has got a special role in each culture and society. The reflection can take place when there are contrasting practices. When you''re located at a foreign embassy, you''re under different citizenship regime than that which is outside the walls. The foreignness gives meaning to the citizenship outside, shapes its limits and gives it justification.
Heterotopia has got a special role in shaping the social time-sphere of every society. A society without heterotopies like mental hospitals could not produce definitions which distinguish normality and A-normality.
When I observe the world we live in today. Maybe, the internet era define our homes as Heterotopia. Everything in our computers is virtual, but when we step outside the room, we meet the real world.