This study compares outcomes of tourism-led, street-level regeneration within two World Heritage Cities (WHCs): Grodzka in the Historic Centre of Kraków, Poland, and Masjed Jame in the Historic City of Yazd, Iran. Focusing on local stakeholders, the comparison is based on the declared outcomes of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, introduced by UNESCO in 2011. A Mann–Whitney U test and effect-size analysis are employed, utilising data obtained through purposive and convenience sampling. Findings reveal that differing tourism maturity levels shape distinct outcomes; therefore, we propose a staged HUL framework to provide context-sensitive planning for emerging and mature WHCs.
This study critically reassesses the relevance of compact city models within ecologically fragile and spatially discontinuous contexts, using El Kala National Park in north-eastern Algeria as a case study. Despite moderate demographic pressure, the park’s environmental sensitivity challenges standardised sustainability frameworks. The research adopts an integrated methodology, combining the identification of environmental issues, analysis of urbanisation dynamics, spatial indicators, and land use land cover assessment. Findings indicate that compact urban planning can exacerbate land artificialisation and disrupt natural systems in protected areas. In response, the study introduces the concept of ‘gentle urbanisation’, advocating for dispersed, low-impact urban forms that respect ecological thresholds and landscape characteristics. Positioned between a conceptual reflection and empirical investigation, the article underscores the need for flexible, context-sensitive planning strategies to mitigate ecological disruption. While grounded in a specific territorial context, the study offers a conceptual basis for extending ‘gentle urbanisation’ principles to other environmentally sensitive protected areas.
