How spaces become places : place makers tell their stories A diverse set of place makers describe how they transformed contested or empty spaces into vibrant and functional places. Spanning four countries and ten U.S. locales these projects range from building affordable housing to community building in the aftermath of racial violence to the integration of the arts in community development. By recounting how they built trust diagnosed local problems and convened stakeholders to invent solutions place makers offer pragmatic instructive strategies to employ in other communities