ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the origins of interstitial spaces are described and analysed. The chapter particularly focusses on the different determinants that explain the emergence of interstitial spaces that are closely related to processes of sprawling suburbanisation. The significance of the interstitial spaces is also examined in social and political terms, to finally argue that interstitial spaces are not mere leftovers of less controlled processes in planning but the unexpected outcomes of planning decisions, economic constraints, and cultural ideals around the production of the space. The chapter finally highlights the inseparability of analytical perspectives and normative agendas on urban dynamics on the interstitial spaces as much as the built environment.
