The development and testing of a methodology, which pushes forward the qualitative spatial development of an urban circular economy.
For many citizens, circular economy does not seem to concern them, due to its focus on closing energy, waste or other cycles between larger companies. However, out of local entrepreneurship, currently an urban variant of circular economy arises. By focusing on the small-scale personal needs of citizens (food, fashion or products), increasingly young entrepreneurs come up with new goods or services that push forward a recycle or a lease or share economy. This results in an urban variant of circular economy. Citizens no longer will be solitary consumers of goods and services, but also users. How will this affect the daily life in the city and what will be the spatial consequences?
Within the context of the Open Call: "Tinker with the city’s metabolism” of the Fund Creative Industries NL a methodology will be developed and tested in Rotterdam as well as in Antwerp. The methodology links the micro scale (ambitions of entrepreneurs) to the macro scale (policy of the city), and results in general as well as (location) specific design principles. These principles will be relevant for individual entrepreneurs as well as for municipal services when setting up future sustainability goals.
This research is done in co-operation with Buro Boris.
Fund Creative Industries NL, 2o14-2o16, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Antwerp, Belgium