Dismissioni commerciali e politiche urbanistiche: temi e questioni aperte

Retail has undergone deep structural and spatial evolutions throughout the decades, with dramatic and radical consequences in terms of functional concentration, attractiveness, scale and location of stores. Most recently, these long-standing trends have been further exacerbated by the stunning development of the Internet and related e-commerce practices, aggravated by the effects of more than ten years of economic crisis. Consumer behaviour and retail strategies have changed dramatically, and the evidence of this process is clear: inner-city areas have become less central to people’s lives, the economic impact of traditional businesses is decreasing and shopping malls and big-box stores are also declining.