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In recent years the field of Caribbean urban studies has expanded significantly. As a result of growing professional networks and increased international attention, calls for a Caribbean Urban Agenda have brought urban issues in the region to the forefront. Simultaneously, the field of postcolonial urban studies has seen significant developments as well, with authors such as Jennifer Robinson calling for a new research agenda in which the comparative playing field is leveled and all cities around the world are seen as 'ordinary'. In the wake of these developments, this thesis aims at examining Paramaribo's urban growth since the return of a democratic regime, the resulting population boom, and subsequent spatial expansion. While narratives of dependency and globalization explain some of the spatial trends observed such as urban sprawl and downtown decline, these western theoretical frameworks fail to recognize the diversity of urban processes at play in Paramaribo's urban fabric. Through a series of vignette case studies, this thesis attempts to nuance the narrative of the city's recent urban growth and highlights how modalities of distinction, informality and political society continue to influence spatial production of Paramaribo.