Urban regeneration and gentrification are complex, interconnected processes that significantly shape cities. However, these phenomena in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are often understudied and typically viewed through a Western lens. This systematic review of literature from 2010 to 2024 addresses this gap by synthesizing a comprehensive framework for understanding urban regeneration-led gentrification in MENA countries. The review delves into key themes: Gentrification contexts, the regeneration process, gentrification accelerators, and the aftermath of gentrification. It explores the diverse motives behind urban regeneration, identifies key stakeholders, and analyzes catalysts of gentrification. Findings reveal that informal areas and deteriorated heritage sites in major cities are most susceptible to gentrification. The study also highlights the critical issue of insufficient community participation and proposes a participation evaluation framework. The unique socioeconomic and political factors driving gentrification in the MENA region underscore the necessity of context-specific approaches, facilitating the identification of regional similarities and differences. Conclusively, the review asserts that gentrification is a cyclic process, necessitating core interventions through enhanced regeneration strategies or displacement plans to mitigate its effects.

Land use changes have been demonstrated to exert a significant influence on urban planning and sustainable development, particularly in regions undergoing rapid urbanization. Tehran Province, as the political and economic capital of Iran, has undergone substantial growth in recent decades. The present study employs sophisticated Geographic Information System (GIS) instruments and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to comprehensively track and analyze land use change over the past two decades. A comprehensive analysis of Landsat images of the Tehran metropolitan area from 2003 to 2023 has yielded significant insights into the patterns of land use change. The methodology encompasses the utilization of GIS, GEE, and TerrSet techniques for image classification, accuracy assessment, and change detection. The Kappa coefficients for the maps obtained for 2016 and 2023 were 0.82 and 0.87 for four classes: built-up, vegetation cover, barren land, and water bodies. The findings suggest that, over the past two decades, Tehran Province has undergone a substantial decline in ecological and vegetative areas, amounting to 2.4% (458.3 km2). Concurrently, the urban area and the barren lands have expanded by 287.5 and 125.5 km2, respectively. The increase in water bodies during this period is likely attributable to the reduction of vegetation cover and dam construction in the region. The present study demonstrates that remote sensing and GIS are excellent tools for monitoring environmental and sustainable urban development in areas experiencing rapid urbanization and land use changes.

In recent decades, the redevelopment of waterfronts in global cities has become a focal point for large-scale real estate investments, often driven by neoliberal policies. These projects, characterized by the increasing involvement of state agencies, aim to transform obsolete industrial areas into lucrative spaces for tourism, commerce, and luxury living. This article scrutinizes the intricate dynamics of state-led waterfront re-development, through the lens of Istanbul’s Galataport project. It analyzes the multifaceted dimensions of the transformation process, shedding light on the historical backdrop, socio-political underpinnings, and economic imperatives that have shaped the development of Galataport from 2002 to 2022. Through a comprehensive analysis of primary sources, including governmental reports, policy documents, and scholarly literature, the article accentuates the pivotal role of the state and state actors in orchestrating the transformation of Istanbul’s urban landscape. Furthermore, it examines the implications of the Galataport project on urban governance and socio-cultural and spatial dynamics. It concludes that the central government pursued a speculative entrepreneurial approach in the Galataport project, clearing various legal obstacles while neglecting public interest. This case study takes the first step towards a comprehensive critical re-evaluation of the recent urban development/governance model to contribute to a nuanced understanding of contemporary urban/waterfront development paradigms in Türkiye and similar geographies.

Nowadays, urban ecosystems require major transformations aimed at addressing the current challenges of urbanization. In recent decades, policy makers have increasingly turned their attention to the smart city paradigm, recognizing its potential to promote positive changes. The smart city, through the conscious use of technologies and sustainability principles, allows for urban development. The scientific literature on smart cities as catalysts of public value continues to develop rapidly and there is a need to systematize its knowledge structure. Through a three-phase methodological approach, combining bibliometric, network and content analyses, this study provides a systematic review of the scientific literature in this field. The bibliometric results showed that public value is experiencing an evolutionary trend in smart cities, representing a challenging research topic for scholars. Network analysis of keyword co-occurrences identified five different clusters of related topics in the analyzed field. Content analysis revealed a strong focus on stakeholder engagement as a lever to co-create public value and a greater emphasis on social equity over technological innovation and environmental protection. Furthermore, it was observed that although environmental concerns were prioritized during the policy planning phase, their importance steadily decreased as the operational phases progressed.

Recently, there has been a burgeoning fascination with the influence of urban green spaces (UGS) on physical activity (PA) and health. This interest has been accompanied by a mounting body of evidence that establishes a connection between UGS and residents’ PA levels. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the significance of UGS and have generally agreed on their connection with health. However, there is still considerable variation in viewpoints regarding the intermediate factors contributing to this association. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the potential correlation between different qualitative factors of UGS and PA. The study involved the collection of data from four parks located in Edinburgh. Four trained observers utilised the Environmental Assessment of Public Recreational Spaces (EARPS Mini) tool to code various environmental characteristics. Additionally, the Method for Observing Physical Activity and Wellbeing (MOHAWk) observation tool was employed to code instances of on-site incivility and the characteristics and behaviours of residents engaging in UGS activities. The results of this study show that the facilities and environment, area and socioeconomic status (SES) of UGS positively affect the type of PA and the level of PA, as well as influence residents’ attentiveness to the environment and their interactions with each other. Demographics such as gender and age group are also significantly related to the level and type of PA. Significant differences in the level and type of PA, and race only differed significantly in the choice of activity type. These results suggest that the quality of the UGS environment affects the level, type, and status of PA among residents and that resident characteristics also have an impact. Future research suggests increasing data collection related to PA frequency and PA duration and considering longitudinal observations over time for refinement.