Homotopy types of subspace arrangements via diagrams of spaces (Q1318023)

We present a general method that produces combinatorial formulas for the homotopy types of arrangements. These formulas are derived for the cases of arrangements of subspaces and of spheres in affine space and their compactifications, and for spherical and projective subspace arrangements. From these formulas we recover results of \textit{M. Goresky} and \textit{R. MacPherson} [Stratified Morse theory (1988; Zbl 0639.14012)] and of \textit{Y. Hu} [Homology of complements of subspaces (Preprint 1992)] on the homology of the arrangement and the cohomology of its complement. The union of an arrangement can be interpreted as the direct limit of a diagram of spaces over the intersection poset. A closely related space is obtained by taking the homotopy direct limit of this diagram. Our method consists in constructing a combinatorial model diagram over the same poset, whose homotopy limit can be compared to the original one by homotopy comparison results for diagrams of spaces.