A contextual evaluation framework for human-centred urban design: critiquing transplanted universal urban morphologies in some GCC cities

This paper aims to move beyond the descriptive criticism of human-centred urban design by proposing a systematic, context-sensitive assessment framework. The framework incorporates spatial, environmental and psychological indicators to determine how well urban environments perform in their respective contexts. It is particularly tailored to detect performance gaps caused by the missteps of the transplanted European urbanism in GCC cities, where design principles are frequently implemented without proper contextual adjustment. By allowing the quantitative assessment of human-centred urban performance, the framework offers a diagnostic tool which not only measures the level of human-centricity but also leads to the design of context-sensitive urban design solutions. The paper uses this framework to conduct a comparative analysis of three GCC cities: Doha, Dubai, and Muscat, based on quantifiable criteria such as walkability, integration of the public spaces, mixed-use vitality, climate responsiveness, and socio-spatial inclusivity. The results show large disparities in city performance and indicate that successful human-oriented urbanism depends on aligning spatial planning, climatic conditions, mobility, and socio-cultural activities, highlighting the irrelevance of the context-blind transfer of urban models. The core contribution of this study is that it allows identifying performance gaps in a systematic manner, quantifying design deficiencies, and creating context-sensitive solutions.