The Place-Based Implications of the Digital Manufacturing Revolution

The Economist describes the dawn of the third industrial revolution, brought by the rise of digital manufacturing, and its implications for the how and the where of the future of industry.

1 minute read

April 28, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


The first two industrial revolutions, beginning in Britain in the late 18th century, with the mechanisation of the textile industry, and metamorphosing into the age of mass production in the early 20th century, had profound impacts on the built environment. They also helped initiate the modern planning profession through the need to protect individuals from the health impacts of the temples of industry, and the need to plan for the communities and infrastructure to support manufacturing.

The factories of the future, however, "will not be full of grimy machines manned by men in oily overalls. Many will be squeaky clean-and almost deserted...Most jobs will not be on the factory floor but in the offices nearby, which will be full of designers, engineers, IT specialists, logistics experts, marketing staff and other professionals."

This shift will again impact how we build and plan for our communities. What will happen to areas zoned for industry when factories no longer have negative environmental impacts or disappear entirely as manufacturing decentralizes? What types of cities will draw and retain the businesses and skilled employees new enterprises will rely on?

These are among the questions planners will be asked to consider as the era of digital manufacturing dawns.

Saturday, April 21, 2012 in The Economist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

5 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

6 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

7 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press