Creative movements and urban regeneration in Qatar: the case of Msheireb in Doha

The integration of cultural heritage and creative identity into contemporary urban development has emerged as a significant paradigm for fostering creativity, innovation, and economic prosperity in rapidly developing Gulf cities. Going beyond traditional planning practices, cultural regeneration and creative districts have become increasingly important for developing vibrant and inclusive urban futures as they navigate global interurban competition. This study investigates the concept of creative cities, focusing on the role of urban space transformation and public art in fostering socialization, public engagement, and innovation. This study employed qualitative methods, including analytic-descriptive procedures and document analysis, to evaluate how urban regeneration projects in the Gulf region implement creative placemaking principles. In analyzing a place-based case study, the authors explore Msheireb Downtown Doha in Qatar towards becoming a creative city, especially through a framework that connects physical–spatial attributes with visual-aesthetic elements, sensitive-perceptual aspects, and environmental qualities. The Msheireb case study demonstrates that effective regeneration requires more than physical reconstruction by focusing on strategic planning, cultural heritage preservation, adaptive reuse, sustainability, community engagement, and cultural amenities, which provide practical recommendations for cities seeking to unite modernization with cultural heritage. These findings highlight the need to balance top-down and bottom-up approaches to create vibrant, inclusive, and creative cities and urban spaces that foster cultural innovation while addressing the diverse needs of the community. The research also identifies complexities such as gentrification and social inequalities and recommends future research directions to further explore the impact of creative urban regeneration initiatives on local communities and urban identity.