Kylie Woodrum "Topos and Chora"

Lane also mentions topos and chora as ways of identifying a place. Topos is the mere location of the place. The word is neutral and indifferent to the meaning of the place. Topos refers to the measurable and quantifiable variables of a place. Chora, on the other hand, refers to the energizing force that a place seems to give off. When people experience a place through chora they make an intimate connection with the place instead of just knowing the location. People often use rituals to turn their experience from topos to chora so they may understand the significance of the sacred place. I believe that people who are just living their lives day-to-day and hurrying through their routines are only experiencing topos, but those individuals who pause to enjoy life experience chora.