Planning for circular urban metabolism: Intertwining skills and spatial transformation for manufacturing transition in Padua and Venice, Italy

The shift from a linear to a circular economic structure needs a new urban metabolism that minimizes waste and the use of raw materials and energy. However, a city’s potential for circularity is contingent upon its manufacturing path-dependency, both from an economic and spatial perspective. The research looks at two Italian industrial areas—Padua and Venice—and proceeds to investigate the recent dynamics of their manufacturing spatial distribution at the “transect” level scale. Using a mixed-method approach that combines morphological-spatial analysis, urban planning assessment, and quantitative labor and waste data, the study investigates how manufacturing industries contribute to circular transitions and how planning policies can support or hinder this process. Findings show that technological manufacturing, supported by technical skills and green jobs, drives circular performance through waste prevention and recycling. Industrial diversification and firm relatedness further enable symbiotic material flows. However, both cities reveal a persistent misalignment between emerging circular dynamics and existing zoning frameworks. While Padua has begun adopting mixed-use zoning, planning strategies in both areas remain fragmented and reactive. The paper calls for more integrated, circularity-oriented spatial planning that mobilizes skills and proximity as key territorial resources.