Transformation of the old area of Isfahan: production of tourism and leisure space with the mediation of virtual networks

Urban spaces are organized areas. Meanwhile, the old district of Isfahan, designated as a tourist area, exudes a distinctive atmosphere. The current research aims to analyze the production of urban space using Lefebvre's conceptual model, examining the impact of virtual networks and incorporating ethnography. The research seeks to investigate changes and trends in city space production in response to the proliferation of tourism and the influence of virtual space. It aligns Lefebvre's three dimensions of space production with virtual space, aiming to enhance the understanding of space production in theoretical frameworks. To gather research data, the primary researcher resided in Isfahan for ten months, employing the ethnographic method. Data collection involved participatory observation, and analysis was conducted using the triple coding system. The findings indicate that emerging spatial factors, such as reliance on online information, evolving attitudes towards travel, and shifts in economic and cultural rationale through platforms like Instagram, have altered the logic of space production in Isfahan's old district, steering it towards commercialization. A new logic, shaped by online interactions and a selective interpretation of space, has taken root.