循环经济基金循环经济城市规划报告理论与实践的空间转向2026

◀VersNexus04

Couleeverterenforceecommesupportalamobilite

cyclo-pietonne.alabiodiversitfaune/floreetservices

UrbanPlanningfortheCircular

Economy:aspatialturnintheoryandpractice

WhitepaperApril2026

Circular

Fundedby

theEuropeanUnion

Cities&Regions

Initiative

CommunitiesofPractice

Executivesummary

Thiswhitepaperexamineshowurbanandterritorialplanningcanoperationalisethecirculareconomy(CE)byaddressingitsspatialdimensions,whichremaininsufficientlyintegratedintopolicyandpractice.Itrespondstotheneedfortranslatingcirculareconomyprinciplesintoland-usedecisions,infrastructureprovision,andgovernancearrangementsthatareimplementablewithinrealurbancontexts.Thepaperaimstoclarifyhowcirculareconomystrategiescanbe“territorialised”,meaningembeddedinthespatial,institutional,andmaterialrealitiesofcitiesandregions.Itfocusesontheroleoflocalandregionalpublicauthorities,giventheirresponsibilityforland-useplanning,infrastructurecoordination,anddevelopmentcontrol.Thescopecombinesconceptualframingwithappliedinsights,structuredaroundfoursystemicdomains:circulardevelopments,circularinfrastructure,landmanagement,andmulti-levelgovernance.

Thecentralchallengeisthelackofspatialspecificityincirculareconomyimplementation.WhileCEisoftenconceptualisedthroughresourceflowsandtechnologicalsolutions,planningsystemsrequireclarityonlocation,landrequirements,infrastructureneeds,andgovernancecoordination.Thismismatchconstrainsimplementationbecauseplanningdecisionsareterritoriallybounded,whereasmaterialflowsandcircularsystemsoperateacrossscalesandsectors.

TheanalysisisgroundedinaCommunityofPractice(CoP)establishedundertheCircularCitiesandRegionsInitiative(CCRI),whichbroughttogetherpractitionersfromEuropeancitiesandregions.TheCoPfunctionedasastructuredpeer-learningplatformtoexchangeexperiences,identifybarriers,andco-developplanningapproaches.Itfocusedonfourthematicareasthatreflectkeyspatialentrypointsforcircularity:(1)promotingcirculardevelopments,(2)allocatingspaceforcircularinfrastructure,(3)managinglandcircularly,and(4)coordinatingmulti-levelgovernance.Despitecontextualdifferences,severalsystemicbarriersrecuracrossparticipatingcities.Circulardevelopmentsrequireplanningframeworksthatenableadaptability,reuse,andmaterialrecoveryacrossbuildinglifecycles,whichremainsunevenbecauseregulatorymandatesareoftenlimited,marketpracticesfavourconventionalconstruction,andcoststructuresdonotconsistentlysupportreuse.Atthesametime,circularinfrastructureoperatesacrossmultiplespatialscales,whereitseffectivenessdependsonproximitytousersandmaterialflows,accesstologisticsnetworks,andtheavailabilityofappropriatelyzonedland,whichmeansthatplanningmustcoordinateneighbourhood-levelfunctionswithcity-widesystemsandregionalfacilities.Landmanagementpracticesincreasinglyreflectacircularlogicinwhichlandistreatedasafiniteresource,prioritisingregeneration,densification,andreuseoverexpansion,whichalignswithbroaderEuropeanobjectivesonlimitinglandtakeandimprovingspatialefficiency.Thesedynamicsareshapedbygovernancearrangements,wherethecity-regionemergesasacriticalscalebecausematerialflowsandinfrastructuresystemsextendbeyondmunicipalboundaries,requiringcoordinationacrossjurisdictions.

TheseinsightsfromtheCoPindicatethatthecirculareconomycanfunctionasanorganisingframeworkforspatialplanningprovidedthatitsimplementationisgroundedinterritorialconditions,institutionalcapacities,andexplicitmanagementoftrade-offsbetweenlanduses,economicobjectives,andsocialoutcomes.Thisimpliesseveralstrategicdirections:

•Integratecircularityintocoreplanninginstruments,includingzoning,landpolicy,procurement,andpermitting,becausetheseshapespatialoutcomesoverthelongterm.

•Securelandforcircularfunctions,recognisingthemasessentialurbaninfrastructure,whichrequiresprotectionfromdisplacementandlong-termplanningcertainty.

•Adoptlifecycleandland-usehierarchies,prioritisingregeneration,reuse,andintensificationbeforeexpansion,whichreduceslandconsumptionandsupportssystemicefficiency.

•Planacrossscales,particularlyatthecity-regionlevel,whereinfrastructuresystemsandmaterialflowscanbealignedwithterritorialrealities.

•Strengtheninstitutionalcoordinationanddatasystems,enablingplannerstoconnectspatialdecisionswithmaterialflowsandgovernanceprocesses.

TableofContents

Executivesummary 2

Introduction:Aspatialperspectiveoncirculareconomy 5

ACCRICommunityofPracticeforcircularurbanplanning 6

Whyurbanplanningmattersforthefutureofthecirculareconomy 9

Territorialisingthecirculareconomy 10

Methodologicalchallengesinanalysingspatialcircularit 1

Scopeofthiswhitepaper 12

Methodology 14

Preliminaryliteraturereviewandinterview 14

CommunityofPractice(CoP) 14

Findings&SystemicSolutions 17

1.Promotingcirculardevelopment 17

II.Allocatingspaceforcircularinfrastructure 26

ⅢI.Managinglandcircularly 35

IV.Multi-levelgovernanceforcircularurbanplanning 42

Howtoscale,replicateandtransfercircularurbanplanningsolutionsacrosstheEU 49

PlanningsystemsandtheirCEleveragepoints 50

FrominstrumentstoenablingconditionsforCEactivitie 52

Contributionsofthiswhitepaper 54

LimitationsoftheCommunityofPracticeapproac 55

Conclusion 58

References 61

01

Introduction

Introduction:Aspatialperspectiveoncirculareconomy

Transitioningtoacirculareconomy(CE)isagrowingpriorityforlocalgovernments,butitisoftenunderstoodintermsofabstractresourceloops,withlessclarityaboutwhatcirculareconomylookslikeontheground.

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Forpublicauthoritiesunderpressuretodeliveronclimate,housing,andeconomicgoals,thislackofspatialclarityisnolongerjustconceptual,itisapracticalbarriertoaction.Whereincitieswouldcircularactivitiesoccur?Howmuchlandwouldtheyuse,andwhere?Whatkindofinfrastructureandaccessibilitywilltheyneed?ThislackofdefinitionalandspatialprecisionmakesitdifficulttotranslateCEprinciplesintoconcreteplanningandprojects,delayingimplementationatatimewhencitiescannotaffordinaction.

Urbanspaceplaysacentralroleinhowcircularsystemsareshapedandmadepossible.Thelinkbetweencircularityandurbanformrunsbothways:thewaywedesignandorganisecitiesshapeswhichcircularpracticesarepossible,andthosepracticesinturnreshapeurbanspace.Thisviewresonateswithalongintellectualtradition,fromearlyurbansociologistslikeJaneJacobs’(1961)toHillier&Hanson’s(1989)insightsthatspatialconfigurationshapesbehaviouralandsocialpatterns.InthecontextofCE,thismeansthatspatialformconditionsthecapacityofcitizens,businesses,andinstitutionstoengageincircularactivitiesbyinfluencingaccessibility,proximity,andhowwelltheycaninteract,shareresources,andcollaborate.Conversely,theoperationalisationofCEprinciplesintroducesnewspatialdemands:facilitiesforrecycling,repairandreuse,sharedproductionspaces,andmultifunctionalinfrastructuresthatcommingleindustrial,commercial,andresidentialuses.Thesearenotmarginalortemporaryuses,butstructuralcomponentsofafunctioningcircularsystemthatmustbedeliberatelyplannedfor.Advancingurbancircularity,therefore,dependsasmuchonwhereandhowcircularpracticesoccurasonthetechnologies,activities,orpoliciesthatsupportthem

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ThiswhitepaperhelpslocalgovernmentsinEuropemovetowards“territorialising”thecirculareconomybyclarifyingthespatialimplicationsofcirculareconomy.Territorialisationreferstogroundingcircularstrategiesinaterritory’sspecificspatialdistribution,land-userequirements,materialflows,andgovernancearrangements.Ittranslatescirculareconomyfromanabstractprincipleintoatangiblepracticeembeddedinurbanspaceandinstitutions,enablingplannersandpolicymakerstoenvisioncircularityinrealurbancontextsandimaginealternativespatialfutures

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Bymakingtheland,location,andinfrastructureimplicationsvisible,territorialisationalsoallowsgovernmentstoanticipatetrade-offsearlyratherthanreactingtoconflictsoncespacehasalreadybeenallocated.Examiningthecirculareconomyfromaspatialperspectivesurfacesitsbroadereconomic,social,andenvironmentalpotentials,beyondthewidespreadbutlimited"zerowaste"approachfocusedonefficiencygains,recyclingandindustrialsymbiosis.Adoptingaspatialperspectiveenablesplannersandpolicymakerstodesignmoreholistic,context-specificCEpoliciesandintegratecirculareconomyintoawiderswathofurbanplanningandpolicymaking

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Engagingmoreexplicitlywithaspatialperspectivecanalsohelprevealthepowerrelationsandsocio-spatialinequalitiesembeddedinsustainabilitytransitions

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Decisionsaboutwherecircularactivitiesarelocated,whichareashostinfrastructures,andwhobenefitsfromorbearstheburdensoftransitionareinherentlyspatialandpolitical,raisingimportantquestionsofspatialjustice.Thisperspectiveresonateswithrecentworkcallingformoreintegrativeandpractice-orientedapproachestocirculareconomyinurbanplanning

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1Kirchherr,J.,Reike,D.,&Hekkert,M.(2017).Conceptualizingthecirculareconomy:Ananalysisof114definitions.Resources,conservationandrecycling,127,221-232.

2Furlan,C.,Wandl,A.,Cavalieri,C.,&Unceta,P.M.(2022).Territorialisingcircularity.InRegenerativeterritories:Dimensionsofcircularityforhealthymetabolisms(pp.3149).Cham:SpringerInternationalPublishing.

3Kini,P.G.,&Hariharan,A.N.(2025).Spatialcircularityinsustainableurbandevelopment:ascopingreviewofthespatialdimensionofcirculareconomy.City,TerritoryandArchitecture,12(1),1-29.

4Lucertini,G.,&Musco,F.(2022).Circularcity:urbanandterritorialperspectives.InRegenerativeTerritories:DimensionsofCircularityforHealthyMetabolisms(pp.123-134).Cham:SpringerInternationalPublishing.

5Dąbrowski,M.,Williams,J.,VandenBerghe,K.,&VanBueren,E.(2024).1.Circularregionsandcities:towardsaspatialperspectiveoncirculareconomy.RegionalStudiesPolicyImpactBooks,6(1),13-28.

6Nicolas-Artero,C.,&Dell’Angelo,J.(2026).Sustainabilitytransitionframeworks:Integratingspace,scale,nature,power,andjustice.EnvironmentalScience&Policy,177,104327.Retrievedfrom

/10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104327

7Bortolotti,A.,Caterina,V.G.,&Zaib,K.A.(2023).WhichcircularityforUrbanDesignandPlanning?AcompasstonavigateCircularEconomyresearchknowledgeandmethods.PlanningPractice&Research,1–20.

ThisisespeciallyimportantinthecontextofgrowingurbanisationandcompetinglanddemandinEurope.Inmanycities,populationgrowthandrisingdemandforhousing,mobility,infrastructure,andservicesareintensifyingpressureonlimitedurbanland,whileEurope’soverallresourceconsumptionalreadyexceedsitsterritorialcapacity.IfeveryoneonEarthconsumedlikeatypicalEuropean,nearlythreeplanets’worthoflandandresourceswouldberequired

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Atthesametime,othercities,towns,andregionsfacepopulationdecline,leavinglocalauthoritiessearchingforwaystoreactivateunderusedbuildingsandinfrastructureandtostimulateneweconomicactivitiesandemploymentopportunities.Withinthiscontext,circulareconomyinitiativesintroduceadditionalandoftenpoorlyanticipatedspatialrequirements.Acrossbothgrowingandshrinkingterritories,circulareconomyinitiativesintroducespecificspatialrequirements,includingproductionandrepairspaces,logisticsfacilities,reusehubs,andwasteandresourcemanagementinfrastructure.Withoutexplicitspatialrecognitioninplanningframeworks,thesefunctionsriskbeingdisplaced,marginalised,orpushedtosuboptimallocations.Thiscanresultininefficientlanduse,fragmentedimplementation,risingcosts,andmissedopportunitiesforsynergies.Thechallenge,therefore,isnotwhethercircularactivitiesrequirespace,butwhethergovernmentsproactivelymanagethisdemandorallowittobeshapedbyadhocmarketdynamicsandlandcompetition

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Urbanandterritorialplanningprovidesakeytooltomanagethesecompetingpriorities.Whilethecirculareconomyisoftenframedasanadditionaldemandonalreadyscarcespace,itspotentialliesinsteadinitscapacitytointegrateandoperationaliseobjectivesthatarealreadycentraltoplanningacrosshousing,mobility,climateaction,andeconomicdevelopment.Manycoreplanningprinciplesare,infact,inherentlycircular.Urbanplanninghaslongaimedtolimitlandtake,optimisetheuseofexistingassets,promotemultifunctionality,andreconcileeconomicactivitywithenvironmentalandsocialconstraints.Fromthisperspective,thecirculareconomydoesnotintroducefundamentallynewgoalsbutratheroffersapracticalandoperationalframeworktoreinforceandalignlong-standingplanningambitions.

Inthissense,aspatialcirculareconomyfunctionsasameanstomultipleends:apracticalactionframeworkthroughwhichresourceefficiency,climateobjectives,economicactivity,andsocialgoalsarejointlyimplementedandspatiallycoordinated.Whenembeddedinspatialplanning,circularstrategiescansupportmultifunctionallanduseandgeneratesynergiesbetweenurbanfunctions,ratherthanaddingnewsectoraldemands.However,thisintegrativepotentialwillnotmaterialiseautomatically.Itrequiresdeliberatepolicychoices,updatedplanninginstruments,andinstitutionalcoordinationacrosssectorsandscalesofgovernment.

Despitethis,thespatialdimensionsofthecirculareconomyremainunderexploredinpolicydebates,whichcontinuetofocusprimarilyonwastemanagementorindustrialprocesses.Asaresult,thereislimitedunderstandingofwhetherandhowpublicadministrationsatmunicipal,provincial,orregionallevelsaretranslatingcirculareconomyambitionsintourbanplanninginstruments,landuseregulations,andspatialpolicies

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Bringingspacetothecentreofthecirculareconomydiscussionisthereforeanurgentgovernancetask,notapurelyanalyticalone.

ACCRICommunityofPracticeforcircularurbanplanning

ThispapersynthesisesthelearningsoftheUrbanPlanningfortheCircularEconomyCommunityofPractice(CoP)withintheCircularCitiesandRegionsInitiative(CCRI).TheCoPwasestablishedtoimproveunderstandingofhowpublicadministrationsareintegratingcirculareconomyprinciplesintoplanningpractice,notasastandalonepolicydomainbutasanintegrativeframeworkthatconnectshousing,mobility,climateaction,economicdevelopment,andspatialgovernance.Itaimedtofacilitatepeerlearningamongcitiesandregions,andtoco-developscalableandpracticalactionsthatleveragethecirculareconomy’spotentialtoalignmultipleurbanagendas

8GlobalFootprintNetwork(2019).NationalFootprintAccounts.Retrievedfrom

/content/uploads/2019/05/How_many_Earths_2019_English.pdf

9Dąbrowski,M.,Williams,J.,VandenBerghe,K.,&VanBueren,E.(2024).1.Circularregionsandcities:towardsaspatialperspectiveoncirculareconomy.RegionalStudiesPolicyImpactBooks,6(1),13-28.

10Furlan,C.,Wandl,A.,Cavalieri,C.,&Unceta,P.M.(2022).Territorialisingcircularity.InRegenerativeterritories:Dimensionsofcircularityforhealthymetabolisms(pp.3149).Cham:SpringerInternationalPublishing.

throughspatialplanning.Tostructureitswork,theCoPselectedfourthematicareasreflectingkeyintersectionsbetweencirculareconomyandurbansystems.Thesethemesguideddiscussionsandhelpedsystematicallyidentifypersistentbarriersandenablingconditionsforimplementation:

I.Promotingcirculardevelopments:Encouragingadaptivereuse,circulardemolition,modulardesign,andalignmentwithothersustainabilityrequirementssuchashousingprovisionandenergyefficiency.Thisthemehighlightshowcircularapproachestothebuiltenvironmentcanreconciledevelopmentneedswithresourceandlandconstraints.

II.Allocatingspaceanddevelopingcircularinfrastructure:Identifyingandintegratingthespatialrequirementsforinfrastructurethatcloses,slows,andnarrowsmaterialloops,identifyinglandforthesefunctions,andmanagingtrade-offsbetweenuses.Thethemedrawsonresearchonterritorialisation,urbanmetabolism,andspatialproximity.

III.Managinglandcircularly:Applyingcirculareconomyprinciplestoland-useplanningitself.Thisthemepositionscircularityasaguidinglogicforland-usedecisions,helpingtoallocatelandaccordingtoaclearhierarchyofpriorities,suchasavoidingnewlandtake,safeguardingagriculturalandnaturalareas,anddirectingdevelopmenttowardsreuse,densification,andregenerationincoordinationwithhousing,economicdevelopment,andenvironmentalobjectives.Itengagesdebatesonsustainablelandgovernance,urbansprawl,andland-useoptimisation.

IV.Exploringscaleandmulti-levelgovernance:Examininghowcircularstrategiesarecoordinatedacrossneighbourhood,city,regional,national,andEUscales,andhowresponsibilitiesformanagingcompetinglandusesaredistributedacrossgovernancelevels.Thisincludesenablinghorizontalcollaborationbetweenmunicipalitiesandverticalalignmentbetweenplanningandsectoralpolicies.Thethemereflectsliteratureonpolycentricandmulti-levelgovernance,policyintegration,andterritorialcohesion.

ThiswhitepaperdrawsonthediscussionsandexperiencessharedbyparticipatingauthoritieswithintheCommunityofPractice,complementedbyatargetedreviewofacademicliterature.

Together,thesesourcesprovideamulti-layeredunderstandingofhowcircularityisbeinginterpretedandimplementedacrosscontexts,formingasharedknowledgebasetosupportcitiesintranslatingcirculareconomyconceptsintoactionable,territoriallygroundedplanningstrategies.Indoingso,thiswhitepaperaimsto:

•Clarifythespatialandterritorialdimensionsofthecirculareconomybyprovidingurbanplannersandlocalgovernmentswithastructuredinterpretationofthespatialimplicationsofcircularstrategiesandhowtheycanbeterritorialisedinpractice.

•Linkacademicperspectiveswithplanningpracticebyconnecting,ononehand,academicdiscoursesexploringconceptsofcircularityandmodellingofthepotentialimpactsofvariouscircularactivities,with,ontheotherhand,thewaysthatlocalgovernmentsareinterpreting,negotiating,andoperationalisingCEprinciplesinreal-worldplanningcontexts.

Thestructureofthewhitepaperfollowsaprogressionfromconceptualframingtoappliedinsightsandtransferablesolutions.Thepaperfirstidentifiestheelementsofcircularitythatrequirespatialconsiderationandoutlinesthewaysinwhichplanningframeworksandinstrumentscaninfluencetheirimplementationacrosscitiesandregions.Themethodologychapter,then,detailsthecombinedresearchapproach,whichintegratesapreliminaryliteraturereviewandinterviewswithinsightsdevelopedthroughtheCCRICommunityofPracticeonUrbanPlanningfortheCircularEconomy.ThemainbodyofthepaperpresentsfindingsstructuredaroundthefoursystemicchallengeareasthatguidedtheCoPmeetingsin2025.Eachthematicchapterconcludeswithkeytakeawaysthatsynthesisethemainlessonsemergingfrompractice.Thepaperthenturnstoscalingandreplication,discussinghowapproachesdevelopedinonecontextcaninformothers,theinterlinkagesbetweenthechallengeareas,andconditionsthatinfluencetransferability.Theconcludingsectionreflectsonthebroaderimplicationsofthefindingsforspatialplanningandfuturecirculareconomyimplementation.

Whyurbanplanningmattersforthefutureofthecirculareconomy

Whyurbanplanningmattersforthefutureofthecirculareconomy

Overthepastdecade,researchhasincreasinglyrecognisedthatthecirculareconomy(CE)doesnotunfoldinanabstractsystemofresourceloopsandcannotbedeliveredthroughtechnologicalfixesorglobalvalue-chainoptimisationalone

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Instead,agrowing“spatialturn”inCEscholarshipshowsthatcircularpracticesareinherentlyterritorial.Whethercircularstrategiessucceeddependsonwherefacilitiesarelocated,howlandisallocated,howactorscooperateacrossjurisdictions,andhowinfrastructuresandgovernancesystemsareorganised.Inpractice,theCEisnotagenericmodelofresourceefficiency,butaterritorialtransformationdefinedbylocalconditions,planningchoices,andinstitutionalcapacity

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Takentogether,thisbodyofresearchshowsthatthecirculareconomyisnotjustan

environmentaloreconomicagenda:itisaspatialone.13

Forpolicymakersandplanners,thismeansthatcircularitycannotremainaparallelenvironmentalinitiative;itmustbeanintegratedapproachembeddedwithinurbanandregionalplanning,wherelong-termdecisionsaboutlanduse,infrastructureandzoningaremade

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Throughthesecompetencies,planningbecomesaterritorialisingagent,shapingthephysicalandinstitutionalspacesinwhichcircularitycantakeroot

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Withoutthisspatialanchoring,circularstrategiesriskremainingfragmentedpilotsratherthancontributingtoasystemictransition

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Researchersemphasisetheneedtoaligncircularstrategieswiththegeographic,infrastructural,andland-userealitiesofcitiesandregions.Thishasgivenrisetotheconceptof“spatialcircularity”,ananalyticallensthatpromptsgovernmentsconsiderhowcircularityfitsintoterritorialdevelopment,whereinterventionsshouldoccur,andwhichspatialconditionsarenecessaryforcircularsystemstofunction

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Inpractice,thislensbecomesparticularlyrelevantinkeyplanningdecisionarenassuchasstrategicplan-making,landandpropertypolicy,developmentcontrolandpermitting,andpublicprocurement.

Urbanplanning,understoodasthecoordinationofpracticesandpoliciesbypublic,private,andcivilsocietyactorstoshapethebuiltandnaturalenvironment,thusemergesasakeymechanismfortranslatingcircularknowledgeintospatialaction

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Throughtheseinstruments,planningauthoritiescanembedcircularobjectivesdirectlyintothespatialorganisationofcitiesandregions.Thiswhitepaperfocusesontheroleofspatialplanningbylocalpublicauthorities,wheremanyofthesedecisionsaremadeandimplemented.Thisscopealsoreflectstheexpertiseofthecityandregionalgovernmentrepresentativesintheworkinggroupthatinformedthispaper.

11Böhm,S.,&Alexander,A.(2024).Towardsaplace-basedapproachtocircularinnovation.JournalofInnovationManagement,12(1),XII-XXII.

12Kini,P.G.,&Hariharan,A.N.(2025).Spatialcircularityinsustainableurbandevelopment:ascopingreviewofthespatialdimensionofcirculareconomy.City,TerritoryandArchitecture,12(1),1-29.

13Kębłowski,W.,Lambert,D.,&Bassens,D.(2020).Circulareconomyandthecity:anurbanpoliticaleconomyagenda.CultureandOrganization,26(2),142-158.

14Tondelli,S.,&Marzani,G.(2025).HowtoPlanforCircularCities:ANewMethodologytoIntegratetheCircularEconomyWithinUrbanPoliciesandPlans.Sustainability,17(12),5534.

15VandenBerghe,K.,Dąbrowski,M.,VanBueren,E.,&Williams,J.(2024).6.Policyrecommendationsforfacilitatinganurbanandregionalcirculareconomy.RegionalStudiesPolicyImpactBooks,6(1),99-108.

16VanDerLeer,J.,VanTimmeren,A.,&Wandl,A.(2018).Social-ecological-technicalsystemsinurbanplanningforacirculareconomy:Anopportunityforhorizontalintegration.ArchitecturalScienceReview,61(5),298-304.

17Williams,J.(2020).Theroleofspatialplanningintransitioningtocircularurbandevelopment.UrbanGeography,41(6),915-919.

18Williams,J.(2023).Circularcities:planningforcirculardevelopmentinEuropeancities.EuropeanPlanningStudies,31(1),14-35.

19Bortolotti,A.,Caterina,V.G.,&Zaib,K.A.(2023).WhichcircularityforUrbanDesignandPlanning?AcompasstonavigateCircularEconomyresearchknowledgeandmethods.PlanningPractice&Research,1–20.

20Kini,P.G.,&Hariharan,A.N.(2025).Spatialcircularityinsustainableurbandevelopment:ascopingreviewofthespatialdimensionofcirculareconomy.City,TerritoryandArchitecture,12(1),1-29.

21Remøy,H.,Wandl,A.,Ceric,D.,&Timmeren,A.V.(2019).Facilitatingcirculareconomyinurbanplanning.UrbanPlanning,4(3),1-4.

22Singhvi,A.,Athanassiadis,A.,&Binder,C.R.(2025).Configurationsforcircularity?Ascopingreviewofurbanplanningapproachesinthecirculareconomyliterature.UrbanResearch&Practice,1-21.

Territorialisingthecirculareconomy

Acrossdiversestudies,severalspatialdimensionsconsistentlyemergeforterritorialisingcircularityincities:

•Existingandnewdevelopmentsites.Thecirculareconomyshapesspacefirstatthelevelofbuildingsandsites,throughdecisionsaboutbothexistingandnewinfrastructure.Forexistingbuildings,circularityprioritisesrenovation,adaptation,andchangesofuseoverdemolitionandnewconstruction

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Fornewdevelopments,itinfluencesdesignchoices,encouragingflexibility,modularity,andmoreintensiveuseofspace.Manycircularinfrastructures,suchasrepairandreusehubs,biowasteandbioeconomyfacilities,decentralisedlogisticsspaces,renewabl