Invisible production spaces in metropolitan areas: uncovering micro-urban manufacturing in the case of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Manufacturing in metropolitan areas has been drastically transformed. This case study of São Paulo, Brazil contributes new insights to debates about urban economies by shedding light on micro-urban manufacturing – an activity that, despite its pervasiveness, is usually left out of planning theory and discourses. First, I broadly frame this debate by retracing the relationship between economic activity and urban development in the historical making of São Paulo. Second, I analyze micro-manufacturing as a segment within the broader context of manufacturing, highlighting its relevance, ubiquity, and resilience. Next, I examine micro-manufacturing activities by themselves and point out at their heterogeneity. Finally, I describe the emergence of two unique geographies of micro-urban manufacturing in the city.