Editorial: Enhancing livability through comprehensive urban regeneration in high-density cities

Enhancing Livability Through Comprehensive Urban Regeneration in High-Density Cities 7 8In the context of accelerating urbanization and rapid population growth, urban renewal in high-9 density urban environments is a critical research topic. These environments face multiple challenges 10 related to infrastructure, housing, and overall livability. Beyond this, while high-density cities are 11 often praised for their economic vitality, compact urban form, and rich cultural atmosphere, they are 12 also where the frictions of urban life are most pronounced. In particular, issues such as overcrowding, 13 uneven distribution of services and resources, housing pressures, transportation difficulties, and a 14 lack of public spaces all undermine livability. 15Our special issue, "Enhancing Livability Through Comprehensive Urban Regeneration in High-16Density Cities" aims to move beyond piecemeal solutions and encourage a more comprehensive 17 approach to improving daily life through urban renewal. The six papers in this special issue examine 18 cases in Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and China, collectively demonstrating that livability is not a 19 singular design issue but a multi-layered urban condition shaped by spatial accessibility, housing 20 policies, transportation systems, social infrastructure, and cultural memory. 21The key message of this special issue is that redevelopment in high-density environments must 22 balance spatial complexity with social inclusivity. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial 92 relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. 93The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of 94 submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision. 95 The author(s) declare that Gen AI was used in the creation of this manuscript. AI tools were utilized 100 during the preparation of this manuscript solely for language refinement and structural review. 101Importantly, no part of the scientific content was generated by AI. All intellectual contributions, 102 critical thinking, and original writing remain entirely the work of the author(s). 103