Seeking spatial capital

towards an operative definition for spatial justice

Journal Article (2026)
Author(s)

Diego Moya Ortiz (Universidad de Santiago de Chile)

Diego Sepúlveda Carmona (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Research Group
Spatial Planning and Strategy
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2026.2688398 Final published version
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Publication Year
2026
Language
English
Research Group
Spatial Planning and Strategy
Journal title
Planning Practice and Research
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Abstract

The concept of spatial capital has gained attention in planning and urban studies, yet it remains theoretically fragmented and weakly connected to debates on spatial justice. This article clarifies the concept to better explain the production of metropolitan spatial inequalities. It aims to systematize key theoretical perspectives, identify the mechanisms through which spatial capital is produced and accumulated, and propose an operative definition for planning analysis. Methodologically, the study develops a theory-informed qualitative comparative analysis of planning, sociological, morphological, and critical urban theories. It argues that spatial capital operates as an institutionally mediated and unevenly accumulated capacity shaping metropolitan development.

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