Due to its complex history, Berlin is prone to a large amount of vacant space particularly in comparison to other European cities. This thesis sought to understand the nature, promotion, support, and shedding of vacant and temporary use in cities as part of a larger development cycle through the case study of Berlin’s neighborhoods of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. A review of plans, interviews, site visits, and the updating of the city’s database on vacant space contributed to a better understanding of the process at play. These sites were then analyzed through the development cycles of J.R. Whitehand and Ernest Burgess to see if the process of construction and change in the city of Berlin could be explained by these models.