Addressing the Data Gap in Urban Manufacturing: A Design-Driven Approach to Support the Scalability and Upskilling of NEB Innovations
This paper addresses critical data gaps in urban manufacturing studies by introducing a design-driven methodology to support the scalability of New European Bauhaus (NEB) innovations. While Fablabs and makerspaces have demonstrated alternative approaches to sustainable production, traditional quantitative methods fail to capture qualitative dimensions essential for scaling experimental urban productions. The research presents an "Expanded Blueprint" developed within the LAUDS Factories project, designed to monitor prototype-to-production transitions and business model implementation challenges. Through direct interaction with four hybrid teams participating in LAUDS Open Calls, the Blueprint reveals that scalability challenges are fundamentally linked to skills gaps among professionals involved in urban production processes. The methodology transforms identified data gaps into structured learning objectives, resulting in a seven-area training program covering LAUDS principles, methodologies, product development, production processes, partnerships, community engagement, and business models. This design-driven approach provides a methodological contribution to studies addressing systemic scalability of sustainable urban manufacturing innovations.