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Interpreting Circularity. Circular City Representations Concealing Transition Drivers

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  • Julie Marin

    (Department of Architecture, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Bruno De Meulder

    (Department of Architecture, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

Abstract

Embodying circular economy transition as a sustainable city concept, circularity in cities is increasingly the subject of policy innovations, urban strategies, and research & development agendas. It seems evident that a circular city should include more than the sum or multiplication of urban circular economies. Nevertheless, prevailing discourses remain till today business focused, and how circular economy creates economic, social, and environmental resilience in cities has yet to be explored. This paper conceptualizes the notion of urban circularity. It introduces an analytical framework sorting existing circularity concepts that are based on design and planning characteristics. Adopting comparative case study research on four contemporary forward-looking spatial representations of ‘circular’ places, this paper articulates their circularity interpretation. Demonstrating how diverging sustainability framings and political positions are embedded within the studied spatial representations, this paper aims to bring clarity in contemporary circular city approaches for policymakers as well as for spatial practitioners. The paper concludes with an agenda for multi-perspective and multi-dimensional circular city design, which is anchored in place specific and multi-scalar transition relations. It suggests urban landscape design as a disciplinary field to act as a pivot in transdisciplinary circularity design and research.

Suggested Citation

  • Julie Marin & Bruno De Meulder, 2018. "Interpreting Circularity. Circular City Representations Concealing Transition Drivers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-24, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:5:p:1310-:d:142914
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    Cited by:

    1. Biljana Stanislav Jović & Aleksandar Acim Čučaković & Mihailo Nebojsa Grbić, 2021. "Circle in Space—Space in Circle: A Study of Ratio between Open Space and Built-Up Area in Historical Circular Objects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-21, April.
    2. D’Amico, Gaspare & Arbolino, Roberta & Shi, Lei & Yigitcanlar, Tan & Ioppolo, Giuseppe, 2022. "Digitalisation driven urban metabolism circularity: A review and analysis of circular city initiatives," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    3. Antonia Gravagnuolo & Mariarosaria Angrisano & Luigi Fusco Girard, 2019. "Circular Economy Strategies in Eight Historic Port Cities: Criteria and Indicators Towards a Circular City Assessment Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-24, June.
    4. Julie Marin & Luc Alaerts & Karel Van Acker, 2020. "A Materials Bank for Circular Leuven: How to Monitor ‘Messy’ Circular City Transition Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Aodhan Newsholme & Pauline Deutz & Julia Affolderbach & Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2022. "Negotiating Stakeholder Relationships in a Regional Circular Economy: Discourse Analysis of Multi-scalar Policies and Company Statements from the North of England," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 783-809, June.
    6. Jarmo Uusikartano & Hannele Väyrynen & Leena Aarikka-Stenroos, 2020. "Public Agency in Changing Industrial Circular Economy Ecosystems: Roles, Modes and Structures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-27, November.
    7. Federica Paoli & Francesca Pirlone & Ilenia Spadaro, 2022. "Indicators for the Circular City: A Review and a Proposal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-28, September.
    8. Hui Zhu & Shuenn-Ren Liou & Pi-Cheng Chen, 2022. "Material Classification and Reuse Framework Based on the Reverse Dismantling of Architectural Design: A Case Study in TCCLab," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-13, November.
    9. Anastasia Papangelou & Jean‐Baptiste Bahers & Lynda Aissani, 2023. "Drivers of urban metabolism: Toward a framework for urban transformations," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(5), pages 1389-1405, October.
    10. Jennifer Petoskey & Missy Stults & Eileen Naples & Galen Hardy & Alicia Quilici & Cassie Byerly & Amelia Clark & Deja Newton & Elizabeth Santiago & Jack Teener, 2021. "Envisioning a Circular Economy: The Journey of One Mid-Sized Midwestern City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    11. Juli Nurdiana & Maria Laura Franco-Garcia & Michiel Adriaan Heldeweg, 2021. "How Shall We Start? The Importance of General Indices for Circular Cities in Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-22, October.
    12. Luigi Fusco Girard & Francesca Nocca, 2019. "Moving Towards the Circular Economy/City Model: Which Tools for Operationalizing This Model?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-48, November.
    13. Daniela Sani & Sara Picone & Augusto Bianchini & Fabio Fava & Patricia Guarnieri & Jessica Rossi, 2021. "An Overview of the Transition to a Circular Economy in Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy Considering Technological, Legal–Regulatory and Financial Points of View: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-23, January.
    14. Elena Simina Lakatos & Geng Yong & Andrea Szilagyi & Dan Sorin Clinci & Lucian Georgescu & Catalina Iticescu & Lucian-Ionel Cioca, 2021. "Conceptualizing Core Aspects on Circular Economy in Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
    15. Antonia Gravagnuolo & Mauro Varotto, 2021. "Terraced Landscapes Regeneration in the Perspective of the Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, April.
    16. Martina Bosone & Francesca Ciampa, 2021. "Human-Centred Indicators (HCI) to Regenerate Vulnerable Cultural Heritage and Landscape towards a Circular City: From the Bronx (NY) to Ercolano (IT)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-36, May.
    17. Fatima Khitous & Fernanda Strozzi & Andrea Urbinati & Fernando Alberti, 2020. "A Systematic Literature Network Analysis of Existing Themes and Emerging Research Trends in Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-24, February.
    18. Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko, 2023. "Smart Circular Cities: Governing the Relationality, Spatiality, and Digitality in the Promotion of Circular Economy in an Urban Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-41, August.
    19. Ginevra Balletto & Mara Ladu & Federico Camerin & Emilio Ghiani & Jacopo Torriti, 2022. "More Circular City in the Energy and Ecological Transition: A Methodological Approach to Sustainable Urban Regeneration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-18, November.
    20. Wendy Wuyts & Raphael Sedlitzky & Masato Morita & Hiroki Tanikawa, 2020. "Understanding and Managing Vacant Houses in Support of a Material Stock-Type Society—The Case of Kitakyushu, Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-23, July.
    21. Pamučar, Dragan & Durán-Romero, Gemma & Yazdani, Morteza & López, Ana M., 2023. "A decision analysis model for smart mobility system development under circular economy approach," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    22. Gaspare D’Amico & Roberta Arbolino & Lei Shi & Tan Yigitcanlar & Giuseppe Ioppolo, 2021. "Digital Technologies for Urban Metabolism Efficiency: Lessons from Urban Agenda Partnership on Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, May.

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