How would it be if collective appropriation was an essential part of a spatial strategy? Playgrounds of commons refer to a mix of top – down and bottomup spatial strategies and design interventions taking as a starting point that Rotterdam South can be seen, and (re)designed as an heterotopia, where as Shane (2003) underlines some armatures should be designed top – down, whereas leaving freedom for others to occur in a more spontaneous way. The spatial strategy is based upon the empowerment of collective appropriation through leisure, food and crafts. More specifically, it discusses an alternative way of approaching urban renewal in deprived areas of Rotterdam South establishing an alternative accord. What is important to highlight is that this project does not only focus on upgrading housing stock in order to attract newcomers and empower the concept of “mixed neighbourhoods”. On the other hand, it does not emphasise the need of creating connecting infrastructures between the North and the South so as to connect unemployed people from the South to the North labour market and available vacancies. On the contrary, the project aims at reinforcing not only North – South connection, but most importantly East- West and creating opportunities for local employment in the South. In that sense, design intervention and strategies aim at making South a service area and a productive hub, by reinventing underused lands or areas under transformation, such as the riverfront. That signifies a transition to more integrative design and decision making processes. A key element of this project is that starting from the theoretical framework, moving to the site analysis and the development of a neighbourhood game, it puts forward a dual strategy: hacking institutions – hacking space, acknowledging the power of space as a software and finally concludes with the design of four key projects and a matrix of recommendations regarding appropriation and urban