Manchester 4.0: Reading the Urban Past to Unravel the Digital Resurgence of the City

Yioutani-Iacovides, Maria; Moustaka, Athina

Abstract

Throughout its long history, Manchester has undergone several phases of urban development, all of which have left an imprint on its landscape and culture. Although the city is primarily known for its contribution to the first industrial revolution, our paper revisits these phases to argue that the city continues to inform global development and culture until today. In recent years, the city has re-emerged on the digital economy scene.
We begin our presentation by highlighting the four significant phases that we feel have shaped the city from the pre-Industrial Revolution era to its resurgence in recent decades. We present the urban development from the early phases (Phase 1- pre-18th century and Phase 2 of the Industrial Revolution) which span from the late 18th Century to the early 20th Century, when the city witnessed an exponential increase in population, economic prosperity, and industrialization. In Phase 3, which spans from the 1910s to the Late 1990s, the quality of its urban spaces deteriorated in parallel with the economic decline and the emergence of slums. We will then focus on Phase 4, the Hacienda Period and the development of Salford Quays and Media City. This is a revival underpinned by technological advancements and it is characterised by the shift towards a knowledge-based economy. As the city has been embracing digital technologies and innovation, a thriving tech sector has started to emerge. Old industrial spaces have been repurposed into hubs for creative industries or apartments for the younger generations pouring into the city, bridging the city's industrial heritage with its aspiring digital future. We conclude by arguing that Manchester’s shift from traditional industrial production to the information age will continue to shape the city and solidify its status as a global metropolis in the years to come.

Citation

Yioutani-Iacovides, M., & Moustaka, A. (2023, December). Manchester 4.0: Reading the Urban Past to Unravel the Digital Resurgence of the City. Paper presented at AMPS Conference-Local cultures-Global Spaces, Melbourne, Hong Kong, New York., Melbourne, Hong Kong, New York (& ONLINE)

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: AMPS Conference-Local cultures-Global Spaces, Melbourne, Hong Kong, New York.
• Conference Location: Melbourne, Hong Kong, New York (& ONLINE)
• Start Date: Dec 5, 2023
• End Date: Dec 7, 2023
• Deposit Date: Feb 8, 2024
• Series Title: AMPS Conferences
• Keywords: Communities, People, Place