The current literature on the process of gentrification focuses mainly on the analysis of areas that are impacted by urban renewal operations. This paper results from a qualitative reflection on the evolution of the gentrification dynamics and describes a specific and spontaneous transformation process that has taken place in a Parisian quartier. The research presented in this paper aims to expand the traditional interpretation of residential gentrification and focuses on the commercial logics, which constitute key elements in the construction of the urban space. To do so, a multidisciplinary approach is developed in order to identify the socio-spatial impacts, the social tensions, and the urban representations resulting from the above-mentioned process.
commercial gentrification; Paris; geography of consumption; local dynamics; urban identity
