A comparison between two distinct continuous models in projective cluster theory: The median and the tight-span construction

It is possible to consider two variants of cluster theory: Inaffine cluster theory, one considers collections ofsubsets of a given setX of objects or states, whereas inprojective cluster theory, one considers collections ofsplits (orbipartitions) of that set. In both contexts, it can be desirable to produce acontinuous model, that is, a spaceT encompassing the given setX which represents in a well-specified and more or less parsimonious way all possibleintermediate objects ortransition states compatible with certain restrictions derived from the given collection of subsets or splits. We investigate an interesting and intriguing relationship between two such constructions that appear in the context of projective cluster theory: TheBuneman construction and thetight-span (or justT)construction.