The heritage of cities and design challenges in preserving the cultural identity of cities
Sustainability is defined as “the ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
As climate change is expected to cause catastrophic effects, cities are largely seen as being at the forefront of a low-carbon future.
Surprisingly, despite its endorsement as a comprehensive narrative, sustainable city development to date has no specific framework that narrows the gap between theory and practice.
Recognizing their key roles, city planners have begun reshaping and redesigning our built and natural environments to respond to the challenge.
Cultural heritage is “an expression of the ways of life developed by a society, passed down from generation to generation”.
In addition to buildings, the definition of heritage includes places, customs, practices, values and artefacts.
In the past decades, heritage, in both its tangible and intangible forms, has been gradually recognized for its potential contributions to sustainability.
Here are some of the ways heritage preservation can contribute to sustainable development:
In the sustainable development agenda, heritage is explicitly mentioned as a target for protecting the world’s cultural and natural heritage under Goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities) of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Resistance to cultural homogenization
The wave of globalization has led to the steady erosion of national identities and local cultures. With regard to the built environment,
Cultural unification has led to the creation of homogeneous urban landscapes unrelated to regional contextual characteristics.
Urban spaces have largely lost a sense of place and diversity informed by their geographical,
social, economic and environmental uniqueness.
Conversely, heritage, with its roots in centuries-old spatial practices,
can protect and nurture the cultural characteristics of a site and fend off global standardization.
Preserving climate-responsive buildings
Historic buildings are climate friendly. First, they use passive design techniques such as optimal solar orientation, compactness, and room layouts.
In addition to highly insulating envelopes, correct window size and location,
yards, and other exemplary building practices.
These technologies aim to improve a building’s environmental performance,
energy demand, indoor air quality and personal health using natural daylight,
ventilation, and other naturally renewable resources.
As a result, traditional architecture is low-impact and energy efficient,
and retrofitting these buildings with new uses can better position cities to achieve sustainable urban environments.
Embrace local traditions and values
Traditional architecture is much more than a physical form,
it embodies a complex web of meanings, values, beliefs,
practices and societal traditions that are cherished by many and passed down through generations.
The intrinsic value of heritage buildings becomes an authentic collective
database of timeless ways of life that, if lost, cannot be retrieved again.
Therefore, modern best practices include renovating these historic
areas into areas where local cultural practices can be embraced, disseminated and even developed.
Examples of cultural activities and programs include arts and crafts,
food products, culinary culture, theatre, performance, music, visual arts, etc.
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