“Circular Strategies for Sustainable Architecture and Planning in India”

GAUTAM VIKAS DESAI

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.53177

“Circular Strategies for Sustainable Architecture and Planning in India”

Author(s)	Dr. GAUTAM VIKAS DESAI
Country	India
Abstract	As the global climate crisis intensifies and resource extraction continues to undermine ecological balance, reimagining the built environment through circular, regenerative models has become an urgent priority. This research paper explores the concept of spatial circularity within the frameworks of post-extractivism, sustainable architecture, and urban planning in the Indian context, offering a multidisciplinary narrative that integrates theory, practice, and personal lived experience. At the heart of this inquiry lies a personal engagement with Goa, a state in India deeply impacted by over a century of iron ore mining. Drawing from lived experience in a region where landscapes have been degraded by open-cast mining, dust pollution, biodiversity loss, and environmental injustice, the study proposes circularity as an antidote to extractive legacies. Mining in Goa has not only disrupted ecological integrity but also strained local communities, polluted water bodies, and overloaded rural infrastructure. In this context, spatial circularity is not a utopian ideal but a necessary strategy to remediate past harm, reconfigure space, and envision regenerative futures. The paper is framed by the foundational principle that “products should be conceived in a way that at the end of their life cycle, they feed back into the system as a nutrient and not as waste,” as proposed by Walter R. Stahel. Expanding this notion beyond individual products, the study positions-built environments as material and energetic metabolisms. Cities and towns in India, whether hyper-dense metropolises like Mumbai or sprawling tier-2 cities, are caught in unsustainable cycles of linear consumption, overdevelopment, and material depletion. This paper interrogates the architectural and planning frameworks that perpetuate these unsustainable patterns, advocating for systemic change aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The paper introduces post-extractivism as a counter-hegemonic planning strategy that challenges dominant narratives of growth, progress, and industrialization. In the Indian context, post-extractivism offers a way to pivot from mining- and fossil-fuel-driven economies toward models centred on environmental justice, local resilience, and low-carbon development. It aligns with traditional Indian knowledge systems and indigenous practices of reuse, seasonal repair, and collective stewardship of land. Integrating these cultural practices, the paper proposes a circular approach to planning that is both rooted and transformative. From an architectural perspective, the study foregrounds the use of reclaimed building components, recycled aggregates, bio-based materials such as bamboo and hempcrete, and design for disassembly. These practices can drastically reduce embodied carbon while also promoting aesthetic reimagination. Strategies such as passive climate control, thermodynamic interaction, and adaptive reuse are discussed in detail, challenging dominant paradigms of demolition and redevelopment. Emphasis is placed on material transparency, lifecycle thinking, and the urban metabolism of cities. Spatial circularity is also explored through reprogramming of land and infrastructure, where abandoned mining pits, vacant plots, and degraded lands are viewed as opportunities for environmental restoration and socio-spatial innovation. The study presents examples where decommissioned industrial sites are transformed into ecological parks, agroforestry zones, community markets, or cultural spaces, contributing to circular economies at the local scale. Case studies from Goa, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Auroville are analysed to illustrate both the potential and challenges of implementing such spatial strategies. To bridge theory with action, the research incorporates insights from design methodologies for circular economy, emphasizing design loops, localized supply chains, modularity, and reverse logistics. Drawing from global best practices on circular design, the analysis demonstrates how planning and design can adopt these frameworks at both building and district levels. A critical analysis is also made of India’s green building certification landscape, including LEED, GRIHA, and IGBC, identifying key gaps in how these systems address circularity. The paper advocates for a transition from checklist-based sustainability metrics to regenerative indicators that account for social equity, material health, and long-term environmental resilience. Ultimately, the research calls for a paradigm shift in urban development, from exploitative growth to regenerative circularity, where architecture and urban planning serve as tools for ecological healing and social transformation. By combining personal insights, policy critique, and innovative spatial strategies, the paper contributes a rich, context-sensitive framework for envisioning post-extractivist futures in India and beyond.
Keywords	Spatial Circularity, Post-Extractivism, Regenerative Architecture, Sustainable Urban Planning, Circular Economy in India, Urban Metabolism
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2025
Published On	2025-08-10
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.53177
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g9w5g5

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“Circular Strategies for Sustainable Architecture and Planning in India”

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