Lefebvre

All spaces exist in a place before you have entered it and therefore an assumption is made that a certain etiquette or behavior is required. The Leeds college of art library for example requires silence, slow movement, no food or drink and generally polite behavior. The rows of books are aligned perfectly in an order that allows free movement between shelves but does not leave much space for sitting or passing others. I guess a sort of claustrophobic affect is created which helps enforce the idea that fast movement like running is disallowed. Another prominent feature of the library is the large security barriers that you must walk through to enter. They supposedly set off alarms if you take a book that isn’t checked out. However I believe they do much more than simply this. They are a powerful reminder of what is expected of you once you have passed them, like bouncers at a club for example. Another factor I see that plays a large part in appropriating the space is the receptionist desk by the entrance. You could say it was panoptic due to its shape. Its half-moon/rectangular shape allows the receptionists to see everyone that enters and leaves the library giving the feeling of being watched. In addition im sure there are CCTV cameras throughout however I have grown so used to this panoptic existence that I haven taken the time to check, pre-existence of space conditions you could say.