From symbiosis to co-prosperity: Redefining industry-city integration for urban resilience

Abstract

This paper explores the conceptual and practical expansion of industrial symbiosis (IS) to the realm of industry-city integration (ICI), and further proposes industry-city co-prosperity as a new paradigm for sustainable urban-industrial development. A systematic literature review was conducted. This review analyzed 132 selected studies to trace the evolution from firm-centered IS network to multi-scalar urban-industrial synergies. The results indicate that traditional IS, while successful in enabling resource-sharing among firms, remains limited by spatial confinement and administrative boundaries. ICI bridges this gap by redefining the city as a functional node of industrial and talent chains, extending symbiotic practices to cross-regional metabolic flows and social integration. A typology of three distinct governance models for ICI (Top-Down Planning, Self-Organizing, and Government-Promotion) is developed and a multi-dimensional comparative analysis of international cases under each model is conducted. The findings reveal that no single model is sufficient; instead, a hybrid governance architecture is essential to overcome administrative silos and foster emerging circular service industries. The paper concludes that aligning industrial development with urban sustainability requires moving beyond resource efficiency toward a state of dynamic, functional synergy and inclusive governance.