Mind the gaps! A research agenda for urban interstices

• Published in: Urban studies (Edinburgh, Scotland) Scotland), 2018-05, Vol.55 (6), p.1203-1222
• Main Authors: Phelps, Nicholas A, Silva, Cristian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Interstices; Metropolitan areas; Political theory; Property; Public spaces; Urban areas; Urban growth; Urban sprawl; Urban studies; Urbanization
• ISSN: 0042-0980; 1360-063X
• DOI: 10.1177/0042098017732714

Processes of urbanisation can hardly be considered without reference to the spaces that lie between developments. However, the literature on such interstitial spaces is fragmentary. In this paper we draw together insights from the extant literature into a research agenda on urban interstices. We propose a research agenda centred on four themes: the multiple geographic scales at which the interstitial spaces of urban sprawl might be analysed; the pending nature of such spaces; their planned or unplanned character and their relational properties. We develop these themes, briefly illustrating them with reference to the case of metropolitan area of Santiago de Chile. In conclusion, we emphasise some of the implications of interstitial spaces for theories of urban politics and their value in forcing inter-disciplinarity in urban studies. 思考城市化进程，就不得不提不同开发项目之间的空间。但是，关于这些间隙空间的研究文献呈现碎片状态。在本文中，我们汇集现有研究文献的洞见，整理成关于城市间隙空间的一项研究议程。我们提议了以四大主题为中心的研究议程：可分析城市蔓延所产生间隙空间的多地理尺度；这些空间的待定性质；它们的规划或未规划特征；以及它们的关系属性。我们展开论述了这些主题，通过智利圣地亚哥大都市区的案例做了简要说明。最后，我们强调了间隙空间对于城市政治学理论的一些意义，以及它们在推动跨专业城市研究方面的价值。