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Macro Analysis Discoveries To implement this design theory a macro-scale analysis of a test city must be made. In this case Detroit is used due to its plethora and variety of omnipresent interstitial spaces. To analyze the city several layers of its character, such as residential, historic, mixed use, education, commercial, parks, abandoned buildings, empty lots, parking lots, industrial zones, freeway usage, and freeway setbacks, are diagrammed. Doing this helps define how the composition of the city is made up; locating the strongest and weakest areas and exposing how interstitial spaces affect the urban environment. This analysis revealed several problems in the built environment especially revolving around areas where interstitial spaces exists; freeways, rail lines, abandoned buildings, and parking lots. These areas divide and create sprawl in an environment where connectivity and walk-ability is essential to the efficiency of the city. While residential sections of the city are clustered towards the North West, mixed use, education, and commercial zones are centrally located in downtown Detroit. However, between the two are multiple zones that do not serve residents or businesses, and tend to separate the residents from the city. The purpose of this study is to create a solution to alleviate the problem through open ended play. However, before that can begin it is necessary to develop criteria by which specific intervention sites can be chosen.
Criteria For Picking Sites In order to test the concept of mending the urban fabric it is important to have multiple typologies to test. For the purpose of this study interstitial spaces, or more specifically, freeways, rail lines, abandoned buildings, and parking lots, are the areas being treated. In order to choose specific test sites for these typologies there must be criteria which pinpoints specific sites that are in need of an intervention. It is important to note that the theory of play, or the optimum placement of play, is not a factor in the site location criteria. This is because the underlying function of this study is to mend the urban fabric. Meaning that, although, the criteria is not concerned with play, the process of designing each site is. Each typological test site must be composed of zones of activity that straddle an interstitial space. This is not limited to two zone types; if there is a residential zone being divided, then that is an acceptable test site. The test sites must also have a range classes; high, middle, and low income neighborhoods. This is important in ensuring that regardless of financial standing no class of people is favored more than the other; instead it creates a network for city beautification. Lastly each intervention should be within a one mile radius of another, in order to create an equal balance of interventions throughout the city. With the test sites selected it is important to visit each site in order to begin the design process. Visiting each site may lead to the discovery that an intervention may not be needed in certain neighborhoods, or other parts of the city might be better candidates for testing. The