Abstract

This paper is concerned with developing a better understanding of the dynamics that affect the relationship between productive settlements and their geographical and spatial contexts at different scales in the XXI century. Starting from recent research, it shows a focus on workspaces and places in building the new post-crisis economic landscape. The paper states that the changing patterns of places and space of production are a helpful perspective to observe—and also to criticize—the dominant narratives “at work”: global city-regions, space of flows, creative cities, and creative industries and clusters. Starting from heterogeneous Italian case studies—a post industrial district, a historical industrial district in decline, a creative cluster, an urban fashion district, etc.—this paper deals with four questions: why is it crucial to talk about productive territories? What are “productive” settlements and landscapes in contemporary cities and territories from the point of view of urban research and of design practices? How do they change? What are their materials and how project strategies and principles can be used for future sceneries and policymaking? Finally, it shows how the contemporary “shrinking era” is an opportunity (maybe the first) to redesign sustainability and habitability for such contemporary “no-go zones.”