TRANSITIONAL FORMS OF URBAN SPACE AS AN ENVIRONMENT OF FUNCTIONAL UNCERTAINTY AND EMERGING POSSIBILITIES

The article examines the phenomenon of liminality as an analytical framework for understanding urban transformations in the context of post-industrial development. The study focuses on socio-cultural, morphological, and ecological dimensions of change. The research problem arises from the increasing number of urbanized areas that have lost their original functional roles and no longer align with traditional zoning principles or typological classifications. In this context, the article foregrounds the need for both theoretical and practical rethinking of urban spaces that exist in a state of in-betweenness – so-called liminal spaces. The article emphasizes that liminal spaces, such as temporarily abandoned, transitional, or peripheral zones, are acquiring new meanings and potentials that transcend functional rationalism. In this context, particular attention is given to two large-scale case studies: HafenCity in Hamburg (Germany) and King’s Cross in London (United Kingdom), which exemplify sustainable models of reimagining post-industrial territories by integrating cultural, commercial, residential, and public functions. Additionally, the article examines green urban spaces, specifically Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord and the High Line Park, as examples that demonstrate the significance of an ecological design approach aimed at revitalizing the urban landscape. The aim of the article is to justify the relevance of applying the concept of liminality as an analytical approach to interpreting urban transformations, using the example of post-industrial and green urban spaces. The conclusions emphasize that liminal spaces are not only indicators of urban dysfunction or decline but also markers of areas with significant transformational potential, requiring interdisciplinary reflection and flexible strategies for reconstruction and modernization.