Compact City: What Is the Extent of Our Exploration for Its Meanings? A Systematic Review

Abstract

The compact city has garnered significant attention from researchers in academia, particularly in recent years, due to its relevance to various global challenges, such as climate change, COVID-19, economic crises, and urbanization. Given the vast knowledge represented in the compact city literature and its diverse perspectives, this study aims is a comprehensive literature review through bibliometric analysis. Following the PRISMA protocol, a total of 570 articles from the Scopus database published in English between 1973 and 2022 underwent screening at two main levels of bibliometric analysis: performance analysis and science mapping. The findings of this study reveal a substantial increase in scientific production related to the compact city over the years. Furthermore, the concept of the compact city encompasses multiple dimensions, with a significant emphasis on the urban dimension. Remarkably, Asian countries (regions), particularly mainland China and China-Hong Kong, demonstrate a notable interest in the compact city concept. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the scientific production of compact city literature, highlighting its growth, multidimensionality, and geographic focus, which can inform future research and policymaking efforts.