Urbanising facilities management: the challenges in a creative age

The purpose of this paper is to present the challenge of the creative economy for FM practice and research. It seeks to do so by comparing developments in FM with developments in the related discipline of urban planning.

The research is based on a comprehensive literature review as well as action research in relation to urban planning.

The growth of the creative economy has meant a close connection between corporate and urban development. This means that FM, in order to facilitate creative environments, can find inspiration from trends in urban planning, and look at the urban context as a part of its facilities. However, including the urban context in FM, and studying it, comes with possibilities as well as challenges. FM needs what is called a thematic as well as epistemological “urbanisation” in order to recognise creative and social possibilities and needs.

Whereas the research is thoroughly founded in urban and social theory and sketches out important considerations in establishing an urbanised research agenda for FM, it does not include all recent developments within subjects such as new ways of working, place design and management.

The urban perspectives unfolded show avenues of development regarding both strategic considerations for place design and necessities of and possibilities in corporate social responsibility within FM through community and research collaboration.

The paper provides ideas of how an urbanised FM can play an active role in creating a positive change of neighbourhoods at the same time as facilitating a creative development for corporations.

In relation to community‐based FM, the possible interaction between FM and the urban context has been discussed from an FM point of view. This paper brings this discussion a step further: it illustrates how urban planning knowledge holds the potential for a further social and urban development of FM research and practice in a creative economy.