On analysing space from a strategic-relational institutionalist perspective:The cultural park for children in Cairo

Recent contributions to strategic spatial planning theory claim to develop a relational perspective on planning and space. In this paper, we explore this perspective further from its origins to the ways in which it conceptualizes various aspects of space. We focus on strategicrelational institutionalist (SRI) theory and introduce the Cultural Park for Children in Cairo as a case to question the relational perception and conceptions of space, and spatial strategies of different actants, spatial representations and frames. We conclude by indicating how a SRI approach may contribute to a greater understanding of the spatial dynamics of actants and their institutional frames and argue for the inclusion of more pluralist conceptions of space in planning processes.