Akram Fatourehchishabestari: From Long-Term Belonging to Commodification: The Transformation of Central City Community Life

In the past, the home, neighbourhood, and community in the city centre created a peaceful environment, fostering close-knit coexistence among households and neighbours—local barbers, cosy bakeries, coffee shops, tea houses, and shared communal spaces. These human-centred settings, with shaded seating beneath trees or awnings, from the traditional streets of Fahadan in Yazd, Iran, to a quaint café in Istanbul’s historic Galata, cultivated a deep sense of long-term belonging. In times of crisis, the strong bonds between residents allowed them to support each other, strengthening community resilience. Today, however, the city centre has morphed into a profit-driven machine for investors. Property construction and prices continue to rise, with little regard for long-term social responsibility. Once a place to live, it has now become a commercial hub, where properties are bought by investors, repurposed for rentals or Airbnb, eroding the vibrant neighbourhood life that once thrived.