UCL ISR contributes to Cities of Making report for JPI Urban Europe project

Cities of making assess the role and current state of manufacturing in three of Europe's urban centres. Compiled by a consortium of partners in London, Brussels and Rotterdam it forms part of te Cities of Making, a thirty-month programme exploring the future of urban based manufacturing in European cities. 

The Cities of Making 'Cities Report', offers an insight into urban manufacturing in three global cities - Brussels, London and Rotterdam. Eash city has had a distinctive industrial heritage and is interpreting the future of manufacturing in very different ways. This report exposes unique qualities of each and common trends that may be relevant to many otehr European cities who are grappling with the future place of making.

Key aspects of the report include:

- Insights into urban manufacturing in three global cities: Brussels, London and Rotterdam.

- Following years of decline and offshoring, cities are now experiencing a renaissance of manufacturing supported by distributed manufacturing technologies and a strong Makers' movement.

- Emphasis on the Circular Economy have also drawn attention to large base of under-utilised resources (and waste) that could be put back in the productive cycles through recovery and new manufacturing activities.

- The city report reveals that manufacturing still plays a strategic role in cities as a source of innovation with spill over effects on other sectors

- Grass root initiatives to revitalise production in cities have been enabled by new digital technologies.

- Turning point in time, position and strategic visioning of public and private stakeholders is key to provide the right conditions for sustainable urban manufacturing to thrive.

To view the report in full please click here