<p>Urban multifunctional land use (MLU) is a concept closely related to sustainability. Research on its parameters recalls the urban parameters of mixed land use in traditional cities. In addition to the density and diversity of housing and facilities, this concept, which was developed after the new urbanism era, originated well before recent studies from a sustainable approach. It generates several benefits, such as the creation of dynamic and socially vital areas and respect for and conservation of the environment owing to diverse and rational land use. This work highlights the close relationships among sustainability, multifunctionality and traditional cities through an analytical study based on an original GIS map digitalisation of the old city of Algiers (the Ottoman Casbah).</p>