Weighted limits in simplicial homotopy theory (Q2267431)

Given a diagram of spaces (simplicial sets), one can compute its homotopy colimit by either taking the colimit of a cofibrant replacement of this diagram, as one likes to proceed in a model category, or by calculating a coend as in \textit{A. K. Bousfield} and \textit{D. M. Kan} [Homotopy limits, completions and localizations, Lect. Notes Math. 304 (1972; Zbl 0259.55004)]. By working in an enriched setting, the author shows that both formulas correspond to two different, but equivalent, ways of computing the total left derived functor of a \textit{weighted} colimit. More precisely, let us fix a small category \(\mathbb I\) and a weight, that is, a functor \(\mathbb I^{\text{op}} \rightarrow \mathcal{SS}et\). Given a diagram \(A: \mathbb I \rightarrow \mathcal{SS}et\), the weighted colimit \(X \otimes_{\mathbb I} A\) is characterized by a (left) adjunction property with respect to the functor sending a space \(B\) to the diagram \(map(A, B)\) of spaces of maps. By fixing rather the diagram \(A\), the weighted colimit is also characterized by another adjunction property. In fact the weighted colimit is part of a simplicial adjunction in two variables and it can be upgraded to a left Quillen functor in two variables by equipping the category of \(\mathbb I\)-diagram of spaces either with the projective, or the injective, Quillen model category structure. In the first case the total left derived functor is computed by taking a fibrant replacement of the weight, which thus remains unchanged, and a cofibrant one of the diagram~\(A\). When the weight is constantly a point, one gets the first mentioned formula for the homotopy colimit of~\(A\). In the second case one needs to take a cofibrant replacement of the weight and a fibrant replacement of the diagram. When the weight is constantly a point, the functor \(N(-\downarrow \mathbb I)^{\text{op}}\) is such a cofibrant replacement, and this leads to the Bousfield-Kan formula.