Abstract

This article examines how spatial practitioners in Slovakia and Czechia offer valuable insights into making the field of feminist spatial practice more inclusive and accessible. Whereas feminist discourse in architecture and planning has become increasingly exclusive and Western-oriented, local spatial practitioners in Slovakia and Czechia engage in feminist spatial work through widely accessible, pragmatic tools. They often do this by strategically using the ‘master’s tools’ – mainstream methods and approaches – to create ‘good’ spaces for marginalised groups. By analysing the practices of 21 organisations, this research identifies five interrelated components of space – physical, educational, representational, participatory, and community-based – that collectively create ‘good’ spaces for marginalised groups. Thinking along these five components offers an analytical tool both for existing spaces and, more importantly, for practice, a guide for designing ‘good’ spaces. These practices offer an alternative to neoliberal, gendered, and racialised approaches to urban planning by prioritising care, empowerment, and self-efficacy over profit-driven development. The study shows that looking beyond dominant Western feminist discourse can provide valuable insights for a more accessible feminist spatial practice, one that is adaptable to different socio-political contexts and capable of influencing mainstream urban planning.