Heterotopic Thresholds: Reassessing Nicosia’s Taksim Field

This study focuses on a spatial and conceptual analysis of the buffer zone that defines the border between the two communities in Nicosia. Establishing this buffer zone has resulted in tangible physical separations, exacerbating political, social, and economic segregation. Specifically, the study concentrates on Taksim Field, a significant urban site within Nicosia that historically served as a focal point for critical events before the city's division. Employing Michel Foucault's theory of heterotopia, the study analyses the evolving function and meaning of Taksim Field within the context of the buffer zone. The findings reveal a distinct correspondence between the site’s spatial, historical, and functional characteristics and Foucault’s six heterotopic principles, underscoring its dual role as a locus of collective memory and a mediator of contemporary division. Although previous scholarly attention to Taksim Field has been limited, this study contributes foundational insights and proposes directions for subsequent research.