THRESHOLD, Entrance, passing space, space preceding another, limit, beginning, ending, principle. Multiple are the connotations of threshold. Just as multiple are the areas in which it is used as a technical term: in geography, geology, physics, in construction, in hydraulic and naval engineering, in physiology and psychology. A noun that is both precise and confusing (hazy/blurry) at the same time. Depending on the approach with which we observe the world, different zones can be defined as more or less visible. Climate zones, public and private space, different zones of a master plan, building spaces, green and grey zones. The categories are endless and overlap with one another. Following this logical thread, it can be said that when we move we are subject to a continuous crossing of thresholds.

For this reason, I went to Erkingen paying attention to these passing moments and assessing their relevance in the area. Located at the base of the hills that separate the canton of Solothurn from the canton of Basel Landschaft, the municipality of Erkingen lies on the threshold between the Plateau and the Jura slope. Infrastructure elements running from east to west such as the Dünnern River, the cantonal road, and the highway divide the area into functional belts: from south to north we find agricultural fields, followed by an industrial zone, then a residential area, and finally the forest. If one decreases the scale of analysis further and walks through the residential area immediately the well-defined boundaries of the different plots are revealed. Hedges, ramine, fences and building walls divide the different plots from each other. Elements that fragment the land into zones where everyone acts as they please. From extremely cared-for gardens to expanses of gravel to minimise maintenance, the variety is great. It is precisely the area from the perimeter of the house to the edge of the land that caught my interest during the visit. This is often residual space resulting from building distances from the legal boundaries of the parcel. For some it becomes a burden as it is an extra area to be cared for. For others it represents an opportunity to aggregate the space and present themselves toward the public realm and make a first impression. In other cases it is simply a transitory space for accessing the interior of the home, and in others it is an opportunity to create a green oasis that veils the view of neighbours.

Fascinated by this place and its variations, I decided to investigate its function as a threshold. Indeed, it acts as a passageway between different categories: between inside and outside, between private and private, and between public and private.