Rethinking the Warehouse: Urban Space and Economy in an Age of Smart Logistics

Abstract

Urban logistics automation is collapsing traditional boundaries between storage and delivery, extending the warehouse presence in the built environment. At the same time, the growth of e-commerce combined with logistics' need to avoid pauses or "friction" means that unprecedented volumes of goods are in near constant motion. This talk explores the potential of e-commerce driven changes to supply chain logistics, as well as consumer and business purchasing patterns, to alter the pattern of warehousing and more within metropolitan areas. There are a broad range of accompanying impacts for urban and local economic development. These include impacts on retail stores, warehouses, land-uses, transportation networks, workforce, policy and regulations (e.g., zoning). They are distinguishable by whether they impact most the "last-mile" aspect of supply chain and logistics, or the larger supply chain network linked to distribution and fulfillment centers.