Limbo Space: The Architecture of In-Between

Aaron Betsky, president of the School of Architecture at Taliesin, explores the concept of 'limbo space' in an article for Artribune, linked to the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. These are transitional areas—airport waiting rooms, government offices, medical clinics, and semi-public zones around shops—where people wait, linger, or do nothing. Betsky argues that such spaces dissolve architectural boundaries and lack clear hierarchy, focus, or purpose. They are neither fully public nor private, filled with plastic and artificial materials, and designed for the body on edge rather than at rest or work. Historically, architecture has been defined by function (fortresses, palaces, theaters, museums), but limbo spaces represent a growing part of contemporary life, where time is spent in semi-distraction and disconnected connection via technology. Betsky sees them as prototypes for the next frontier of architectural research, beyond traditional categories of location, function, sociality, or physical structure. He questions whether architecture can approach the limbo's strange beauty and potential, despite its anxiety-inducing qualities. The article references Diller Scofidio + Renfro's Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston (2006) and Labics' Città del Sole in Rome (2007) as examples.