URBAN REGENERATION POTENTIAL AND TYPOLOGICAL SELECTION OF PUBLIC CATERING FACILITIES IN TASHKENT: AN ADAPTIVE MULTI-CRITERIA PLANNING FRAMEWORK

Abstract

The transformation of Tashkent into a larger metropolitan system creates a need for evidence-based methods for locating public catering facilities in ways that support urban regeneration, social interaction and functional diversity. This article develops an adaptive multi-criteria framework for evaluating regeneration potential and selecting the most appropriate typological formats of public catering facilities, including cafes, food courts, food streets, tea-house clusters, seasonal terraces and mobile units. The study is positioned as a methodological pilot for the architectural and urban-planning topic of public catering systems in the urban environment. The proposed model integrates seven indicator groups: territorial-functional compatibility, access convenience, public-space integration, gastronomic activity, seasonal-spatial adaptability, time-based pedestrian flow and regeneration potential. A weighted index is used to compare urban prototypes and to translate scores into typological recommendations. The pilot results show that post-industrial and underused areas require flexible mixed formats, transit nodes are more suitable for compact food courts and rapid-service units, while central and heritage-adjacent zones require fine-grained, image-sensitive gastronomic streets. The contribution of the article is the connection between public catering typology and regeneration-oriented urban design. Instead of treating restaurants and cafes as isolated commercial objects, the framework interprets them as spatial catalysts capable of activating streets, courtyards, transit edges and recreational frontages. The proposed approach is applicable to Tashkent and can be adapted to other Central Asian cities experiencing rapid urbanization, new master planning and increasing demand for inclusive public environments.