Modularity

Modularity Theory: The Compass for Circular Innovation Strategy

Bundling and unbundling—business history's endless cycle. Modularity theory explains why circular products fail when they're caught halfway between.

The circular atelier: co-locating production, repair, and refurbishment in customer-facing brand temples. Accessible luxury through transparent craftsmanship. Image by GPT-5

Mid-century-style painting of a sunny country-house lawn: a silver flying saucer hovers over the grass beyond an empty wicker chair and a set tea table, a manor house in the distance.

The Circular Century — So What

Clarke said that whether or not we are alone in the universe, the prospect is terrifying. This season's final letter asks what would make us worthy of the answer.

Illustration of an Edwardian country lawn at golden hour: a tea table and croquet set on the grass, a wind turbine turning behind the manor house, and a rocket rising in the distance.

Coping with Abundance

Every age of plenty before this one was fleeting — squandered by an economy that profits from more. The Circular Century is the first abundance built to stay. Which leaves only the question of how to cope with it.

Mid-century-style painting of a sunny street: a man bikes past a small driverless shuttle while people sit at a café, low pastel buildings and a cypress tree behind.

Personal Mobility

The right vehicle for every trip, owned by no one in particular — how the Circular Century unbundles mobility from the car in the driveway.

An ornate animal-shaped coffee spout pours dark coffee into a white cup on a citrine yellow counter, with a hint of an automat's little glass food windows behind. Mid-century poster style.

The Commissary

What if the best place in town were the one we all went to? The Commissary is the Automat reborn — good food made special, and within everyone's reach.

Read more

The Circular Century — So What

Coping with Abundance

Personal Mobility

The Commissary