Trial by Space

Abstract

Successfully guiding the transition of space within shrinking cities presents a challenge to public administrators, urban designers, and planners faced with developing policies and practices to cope with declining conditions. This project examines a particular site, “The Flats,” the waterfront area of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, and asks how assumptions about desirable uses have shifted over time. Henry Lefebvre’s notion of “trial by space” is adapted to create a heuristic tool for highlighting the implications of alternative land uses along two axes: domination and appropriation. Historic postcards, interviews with administrators, and recent planning documents for the Flats are analyzed to highlight values embedded in past spatial practices and proposed land uses. Finally, we suggest that the trial by space model is applicable beyond shrinking cities and can operate as a tool with which not only scholars but also policy makers, administrators, politicians, planners, and citizens can assess the implications of administrative plans and land use proposals.