Transformations, fractures and boundaries: The case of Stadtpunkte in the Mannheimer Cityscape

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The following essay describes a case study of the cityscape of Mannheim, Germany, in which I examined placement of historical markers – called <jats:italic>Stadtpunkte</jats:italic> – throughout the city. The study reveals that such markers can facilitate transformations of space and constructions of alternative cityscapes in a way similar to past observations concerning space, cityscape and media. In addition, the research demonstrates the potential for the construction of a participatory civic identity for people who engage with the markers. However, the findings also suggest that the absence of markers in parts of the city can create performative boundaries that shift identity for people passing through those spaces.</jats:p>