The human being has always persecuted the concept of the ideal city. From the Greek polis, through the Renaissance visions, the expansions or L’Enfant’s plans for Washington DC in the 19th century, until modern experiments such as Niemeyer’s Brasilia or Chandigarh, in India, designed by Le Corbusier.
Today, that search continues, but taking into account not only the flat urban planning, but also the social and sustainable aspects of it. This is where the Fab Cities concept and movement came into being.
This proposal suggests that cities can become self-sufficient, producing what they consume in zero-kilometre mode, thanks to local manufacturing, digital coordination and collaboration between citizens, institutions and governments, which is where the concept and movement of Fab Cities comes in.
What is a Fab City?
A Fab City is a city that seeks to produce most of the goods it consumes locally, reducing dependence on global supply chains and minimising the ecological footprint. This model is based on digital manufacturing, the circular economy and citizen participation. The idea is to move from a system “Products In Trash Out” (PITO) to one of “Data In, Data Out” (DIDO), where designs and knowledge are shared globally, but production is done locally. This approach allows products to be tailored to local needs, while promoting greater sustainability.
Fab Cities are not just a futuristic vision, but a reality under construction. They are based on an ecosystem made up of manufacturing laboratories, educational centres, open-source platforms and citizen networks, all articulated by a common will to redefine the production system from the local level.
2025 marks a special milestone: the Fab City movement celebrates a decade since its founding. In these ten years, the initiative has empowered communities around the world with technology and knowledge to build more sustainable, innovative and regenerative cities. The celebration of this first decade is also an invitation to join the next phase of the journey to more cities.
Digital manufacturing and citizenship
Digital manufacturing is the technological driver of Fab Cities. But what does it consist of? It is based on the use of advanced and accessible production tools, such as 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC milling machines. The latter are machines that, based on a digital design, carve or cut materials such as wood, metal or plastic using a computerised numerical control system. This type of technology allows for high precision and scalability in manufacturing that was previously only available in large industries.
These tools, available in spaces such as Fab Labs, allow people to design and produce objects locally. This fosters open innovation, strengthens technological sovereignty and contributes to the development of a more equitable and participatory economy. New productive capacities are thus created in civil society, democratising access to innovation and allowing people to design solutions tailored to their needs.
Moreover, these spaces are catalysts for new forms of work and collaboration. Far from being just places of production, Fab Labs function as forums for experimentation, incubators of ideas and platforms for local entrepreneurship.
Education and maker culture
Education is a key component in the development of Fab Cities. Programs as the Fab Academy teach students skills in design, digital manufacturing and sustainability. This knowledge is essential to build a self-sufficient city.
It also promotes a maker culture that values creativity, collaboration and learning by doing. This philosophy is changing the way we understand education, work and production, involving people of all ages and professional profiles. From workshops for schoolchildren to advanced vocational training, learning by doing becomes a tool for urban transformation.
The maker movement promotes an active and experimental pedagogy. We learn by doing, by making mistakes, by iterating. This model fosters soft skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration, necessary to face the challenges of the 21st century.
The global network of Fab Cities
From the launch of the challenge, more than 50 cities and regions have joined the Fab Cities network. Among them are Amsterdam, Shenzhen, Detroit and even Thimphu, capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan. This expansion shows that the model is adaptable to various cultural, economic and geographical contexts.
These cities share knowledge and strategies to advance toward urban self-sufficiency. Global collaboration is essential to adapt local solutions to different realities and for urban transformation to have a significant and sustainable impact. The idea of ”thinking globally and manufacturing locally” is embodied here in exchange platforms, joint research projects, and open standards that strengthen cohesion among members.
The Fab City Global Initiative articulates this network through a horizontal structure that encourages local autonomy. Cities not only adopt good practices, but they also contribute actively to the evolution of the model through their own innovations.
The case of Barcelona and the IAAC
Barcelona was one of the first cities to commit to the Fab City challenge in 2014. It is considered a laboratory for innovative urban models and a world leader in urban planning. This tradition of urban experimentation, dating back to the Industrial Revolution, has culminated in the commitment to a productive, sustainable, and evolving city model.
Fab City Barcelona is based on more than 15 years of action research developed by Fab Lab Barcelona—the founder of the Fab City movement—and the experience of numerous local organizations involved. The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC)—here we interviewed its director—together with this laboratory, has been key in developing educational projects and programs that consolidate Barcelona as one of the centres of this global network of cities.
The Fab City Handbook: a guide to transforming cities with an eye on 2054
One of the resources further valuable to the movement is the Fab City Handbook. This practical manual, developed by the Fab City Global Initiative, provides tools, guides and materials to help any locality —city, region, island or country— to become locally productive and globally connected before 2054.
The date 2054 is not arbitrary. It is the horizon that was set from the birth of the movement, based on a 40-year transformation process from Barcelona’s first commitment in 2014. The “Interdependence 2054” project inaugurates a three-decade cycle that aims to rethink the global industrial and economic model, establishing new forms of collaboration, production, and urban governance.
The Handbook is a living document, constantly updated with the knowledge shared by member cities, the Fab City Collective, and the Fab City Foundation. It includes everything from governance and training guidelines to network participation standards and communication strategies. It serves as an operational and regulatory framework for Fab Cities, guiding their evolution based on the principles outlined in the Fab City Manifesto.
It functions as an accessible roadmap so that any territory, regardless of its scale or level of development, can take the first steps toward its productive transformation.
The Fab City Manifesto: Ten principles for the change
Along with this manual, the Fab City Manifesto articulates the values and principles that guide participant cities and their urban planning. These are:
- People-centred: Technology must serve human well-being.
- Holistic: Approach the city as an interdependent ecosystem.
- Participatory: Empower citizens in decision-making processes.
- Economic growth and employment: Commit to a sustainable urban economy of the 21st century.
- Open-source philosophy: Foster innovation through shared data and solutions.
- Glocalism: Share global knowledge and adapt it to local needs.
- Experimental: Support distributed research and innovation.
- Green: Move toward zero-emission cities and preserve biodiversity.
- Inclusive: Promote equitable policies for all.
- Locally produced: Leverage local resources within a circular economy.
These principles are not mere declarations of intent, but practical guides that translate into concrete actions within each territory. They are the foundation upon which local strategies are built, aligned with a common goal: to transform the way we produce and live in our cities.
Although the Fab City model offers numerous advantages, it also faces challenges. Implementation requires changes in public policies, investments in infrastructure, and a cultural transformation toward local production.
In addition, there are challenges in coordination between actors, the financial sustainability of laboratories, the training of technical talent, and the integration of citizens beyond technophile circles. Overcoming these barriers is key to ensuring that Fab Cities are not just a movement, but a new normal.
The opportunities are significant: reducing emissions, creating local jobs, building resilience to global crises, and strengthening communities. It is a model that proposes a new relationship between technology, territory, and citizens. A proposal capable of generating value not only economically but also socially, environmentally, and culturally.
