A framework for sustainable adaptive reuse: understanding vacancy and underuse in existing urban buildings

Cities have been built on the benefits of density, proximity, and connectivity. However, recent COVID-19 pandemic, along with continuously evolving communication technologies, has seen an increase in vacancies underuse urban buildings, challenging agglomeration cities our understanding business-as-usual. By reflecting these continuous changes environment, we can better understand dynamics play, various user needs, temporary or permanent nature changes, possible adaptive strategies to navigate future toward a more sustainable resilient state. This article, therefore, presents systematic literature review, using PRISMA, examine map how vacancy intersects reuse literature. review examined 43 academic articles revealed research predominately focusing whole-building completely vacant buildings. highlighted that is mainly assumed research, both are insufficiently unpacked. A new framework proposed address misalignment between realities distributed building stocks focus reuse. The set inform policy development supporting article point departure planning approaches could be applied enhance broader sustainability resilience initiatives.