During the past two decades, Qatar, a developing country, has invested heavily in infrastructure development to address several challenges caused by the rapid urbanization. Qatar has made a significant step toward its urban sustainability vision through the construction of the Doha Metro system. By adopting Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), Qatar is overcoming some urban challenges. TOD promotes compact, walkable, and mixed-use development around the transit nodes, which enhances the public realm through providing pedestrian-oriented and active spaces. Additionally, Qatar aims to transfer to a knowledge-based economy through developing an environment that will attract knowledge and creative human power. Qatar Foundation is taking the lead toward implementing a Knowledge-Based Urban Development (KBUD) through its flagship project: Education City (EC). This study aims therefore to evaluate the integration of TOD and KBUD strategies to leverage the potential of TOD in attracting knowledge and creative economy industries. The selected case study is Qatar National Library (QNL) metro station at the EC in Doha. The study examines the potential of QNL as a destination TOD to enhance the area's mission as a driver for a knowledge-based economy. The methodological approach is based on the analytical concepts obtained from the Integrated Modification Methodology as a sustainable urban design process. The study’s results revealed that void and function, followed by volume, are the weakest layers of the study area's Complex Adaptive System which require morphological modification to achieve sustainability and a knowledge-hub TOD. The study offers recommendations to assist planners and designers in making better decisions toward regenerating urban areas through a knowledge-hub TOD contributing to the spill out of knowledge and creativity into the public realm creating a human-centric vibrant public space adjacent to metro stations.

The “15-minute city” (15minC) model has gained global attention as a framework for promoting walkability and sustainable urban mobility. While its adoption has grown, challenges remain in adapting the model to diverse urban contexts worldwide. This paper critically examines the 15minC model, its theoretical limitations, and the need for more context- and user-based approaches to ensure sustainable urban mobility and well-being outcomes across varying morphological, climatic, and cultural settings. The article then introduces the concept of CityTime, which redefines proximity as borderless and adaptable, measuring the minutes needed to walk to customizable ecosystems of urban functions. Using a GIS-based approach, it evaluates the accessibility of points of interest (POIs) to balance their quantitative (proximity) and qualitative (diversity) distribution, proposing new metrics. The approach is tested in Dakar, Rio de Janeiro, and Milan—cities that vary significantly in size, density, and geographic location, representing both the Global North and Global South. Within each city, three distinct areas are selected using a multidimensional clustering method based on POI distributions. These case studies demonstrate the flexibility of CityTime across diverse morphological and socio-economic conditions and its potential to democratize the 15minC ideals, creating more equitable and context-sensitive urban environments globally.

How to plan and design new elements in the city context in a way that the new elements improve the entire neighborhood energy performance and its sustainability is the main question to be discussed in this paper. In order to achieve this goal, different urban morphological factors, which have great influence on energy consumption of the city as a single entity, are investigated as based on complexity analysis. In this analysis, the urban morphology is considered as the microscopic emergence of the city element's transformation in time. Much research has been carried out regarding sustainable buildings and the energy performance of single edifices; however, there are few studies which have been carried out with consideration of the cities as a single unit. Ultimately, the aim of this paper is to elucidate a novel method to design a new urban element, architectural project for instance, towards achieving a sustainable urban form

Cities around the world are evolving dramatically due to urbanization. Over the last few decades, rapid urbanization coupled with rapid economic growth in Qatar has resulted in transport-related issues such as urban sprawl, traffic congestion, poor walkability, and an increasingly inefficient transit network lacking pedestrian accessibility and connectivity. The related sprawl (due to a lack of compactness), a lack of intricacy, and connectivity have challenged the built environment’s sustainability. The Souq Waqif neighborhood, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and historical significance, serves as the focal point of this study. Its central positioning and status as a prominent social nexus within Doha render it an ideal case study. Specifically, this research investigates the Souq Waqif metro station, evaluating it through the lens of five distinct design aspects: (1) walkability, (2) ground use balance, (3) mixed-use spaces and public spaces, (4) multi-modality and transportation hubs, and (5) public transportation network. To reach this aim, the study methodology uses a qualitative approach informed by the Integrated Modification Methodology (IMM). The IMM framework provides a means to transform underperforming neighborhoods like Souq Waqif, into more cohesive and sustainable communities by retrofitting, renovating, and reactivating the existing urban fabric. Site observations, interviews, and surveys were used to collect data to complement the analysis. Findings highlight the deficiencies in connectivity and multimodal transportation adjacent to the Souq Waqif metro station. In addition, the ability of metro stations to conserve crucial cultural legacy and social identity in rapidly urbanizing cities like Doha is explored. To this end, recommendations are given to increase the efficiency and sustainability of Souq Waqif and the like.

Solid waste management (SWM) is recognized worldwide as an important issue to deal with in pursuing livability. The favela (slum) of Rocinha represents a good synthesis of all challenges which can be encountered in this field: high population density , lack of space and narrow streets, residents struggling with low incomes. In Rocinha, services coverage is lacking and unsatisfying in many sectors, including SWM. In this study, we investigate the reason for this inadequacy. Waste streams have been analyzed as a first step. The second step was the description of the SWM system and of its criticalities. All accessible information has been used and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) played an important role in the data processing. In the final discussion, we suggest a small-scale and decentralized waste management network, collaborating with the centralized collection system. This study is a piece of the project Polimipararocinha of Politecnico di Milano (Italy) which pursues the overall urban re-qualification of Rocinha.

Rapid urbanization has intensified the systemic inequities of resources and infrastructure distribution in informal settlements, particularly in the Global South. Digital Twin Modeling (DTM), as an effective data-driven representation, enables real-time analysis, scenario simulation, and design optimization, making it a promising tool to support urban resilience. This study introduces the Integrated Modification Methodology (IMM), developed by Politecnico di Milano (Italy), to explore how DTM can be systematically structured and transformed into an active instrument, linking theories with practical application. Focusing on Paranoá (Brasília), a case study developed under the NBSouth project in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano and the University of Brasília, this research integrates advanced spatial mapping with comprehensive key performance indicators (KPIs) analysis to address developmental and environmental challenges during the regeneration process. Key metrics—Green Space Diversity, Ecosystem Service Proximity, and Green Space Continuity—were analyzed by a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform on 30 m by 30 m sampling grids. Additional KPIs across urban structural, environmental, and mobility layers were calculated to support the decision-making process for strategic mapping. This study contributes to theoretical advancements in DTM and broader discourse on urban regeneration under climate stress, offering a systemic and practical approach for multi-dimensional digitalization of urban structure and performance, supporting a more adaptive, data-based, and transferable planning process in the Global South.