The shadows of high-rise buildings: skyscrapers as drivers of gentrification and their role in the transformation of the urban housing market

in the context of accelerated urbanization and transformation of urban landscapes, the process of gentrification is becoming a key object of analysis, especially in Russia, where its specificity is determined by post-industrial development, minimal government regulation and class, rather than racial, differentiation. The growth of investments in premium real estate and the redevelopment of industrial zones has contradictory effects: on the one hand, modernization of infrastructure, on the other – social marginalization and loss of identity of districts. Objective: the research aims to identify patterns of gentrification in Russia, analyze their impact on spatial and social structures, and assess the consequences for the sustainability of urban communities. Methods: empirical data, including analysis of the Medicaid database, and social mapping methods were used to achieve the goal, allowing us to visualize changes in the distribution of social groups and their interactions. The results demonstrate that a comparative analysis of Russian and Western models of gentrification has revealed key differences: in Russia, there are conflicts between "new" and "old" residents, whereas in the West the processes are associated with racial segregation. Five models of gentrification in Russia are identified, each of which is characterized by unique socio-economic consequences. The results showed that the construction of skyscrapers enhances agglomeration effects, but at the same time promotes enclavization and disneyification, threatening the integrity of the urban environment. The conclusions indicate that gentrification in Russia is a multifaceted process combining elements of regeneration and marginalization. Its consequences require a comprehensive approach, including the regulation of the real estate market and the preservation of the social identity of the districts.

gentrification, urbanization, social differentiation, skyscrapers, enclavization, disneyfication, urban environment