Coworking spaces and fablabs in small and medium-sized cities: Playing the part of middleground?

This contribution questions the notion of middleground as intermediate between the underground and upperground (Cohendet et al., 2010), applied to the specific context of small and medium-sized cities. The aim is to determine to what extent the “ground model” is relevant for such territories and whether it reveals how collaborative spaces work. The results are based on a multiple case analysis based on a semi-directive interview survey. They reveal some particular features that have not been highlighted in the literature, such as a weak fragmentation between actors (multi-community membership, inter-layer mobility) and an open and transversal functioning of the spaces studied. To conclude, the three different layers in small and medium-sized cities seem more intricate than in metropolises areas. JEL Codes: O18, P25, R58