Spatial circularity in sustainable urban development: a scoping review of the spatial dimension of circular economy

Abstract The discourse on the circular economy (CE) has gained global attention due to its significant contribution to sustainable urban development. Extensive research on circular economy addressing the various facets of urban built environments such as ecology, energy, water, waste, and industrial establishments is available in literature. They bring about systemic changes through circular urban metabolic activities that inevitably impact the land, urban form and the spatial configuration in cities. The holistic integration and operationalization of circular systemic changes with geographic and land-based attributes is referred to as spatial circularity. However, this spatial dimension of CE remains underexplored. The main objective is to address this gap by analyzing the literature that links circular practices with land, its characteristics and spatial attributes. The review tries to answer two key research questions: (1) How does spatial circularity contribute to sustainable urban development? (2) How do circular practices relate to land and space within a city? Utilizing the scoping review framework, the study analyses 150 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters published between 2013 and 2023, sourced from Scopus and Web of Science. The results are synthesized through bibliometric mapping (VOS viewer) and thematic content analysis. The review identifies key strategies such as regenerating or reusing degraded land, optimizing urban metabolic activities based on land attributes, and developing new space typologies that integrate circular practices, collectively offer a holistic approach to addressing the spatial dimension of CE that aids in transition toward circular cities. This research aims to guide academia and practice in advancing spatial circularity practices, to foster sustainable urban development.