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The dynamics of urban development of heritage in Asia

Gabriel Victor Caballero. A review of books on the dynamics of urban development of heritage in Asia. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2016, 6(1). URL : http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/JCHMSD-03-2016-0021

Urban China's rural fringeThe three edited volumes covered in this comparative review, tackle several issues and prospects of urban and rural areas which grapple with the dynamics of urbanisation and preserving heritage in Asia. This is an especially pertinent theme in the context of Asian cities, as they are experiencing rapid growth. In 2014, the Population Division of the United Nations identified that 13 of the 28 global megacities are located in Asia. With current trends of migration and urban development, it is predicted that by 2030, the region will host 22 of the 41 megacities, which will predominantly be located in China and India (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2014). Quite a few of those, e.g. Delhi, Tianjin, Mumbai, Beijing and Manila have, or will have the added pressure of protecting heritage sites inscribed under the UNESCO World Heritage List (UNESCO, 2016).

The books reviewed here discuss such topics on different levels of scale. One book captures the issues of several built and natural heritage sites spread around Southeast Asia. Another book documents the dynamics of peri-urban areas spread across the fringes of Chinese cities, while the third book comprehensively gathers different literature discussing a world heritage site in the Philippines. All three books provide insights into how historic areas are valued amidst the rapid changes brought about by urban development. Such critical observations are important in Asia, as the degradation of heritage sites is expected to affect the quality of life of millions of individuals (Caballero and Pereira Roders, 2014). […]

Urban China’s Rural Fringe (Verdini et al., 2016) tackles the complex issues of peri-urban areas located at the edges of China’s major cities, in which heritage is only one of the issues at stake. It provides an overview and contextualisation of various issues that these places experience due to rural industrialisation such as uncontrolled impacts of pollution, forceful displacement of farmers, chaotic land use and destruction of traditional rural villages in the context of a socialist market system. The book highlights the dynamics in the rural fringe wherein there is an increasing amount of “floating population” of rural migrants looking for cheap housing options near urban centres. At the same time, these spaces also cater to the demands of the growing middle class who prefer low-density housing (Chapter 3) and local tourism and leisure options to experience the countryside (Chapter 5). The book provides compelling arguments that challenge current urban development strategies of industrial-scale urban expansion to rural areas in China. Chapter 7 in particular, discusses a promising case study that utilises the heritage resources of Dayuwan Village in Wuhan. While providing economic benefits to its residents, their built heritage is preserved and the cultural and intangible heritage are kept alive. Chapter 2 looks at the possibility of collaborative planning approaches, which empower rural communities and encourage communication among villagers about land rights. Such topics highlight the role of different stakeholders in achieving an equitable urban development process.

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Monique Abud

Centre d'études sur la Chine moderne et contemporaine, EHESS, Paris, France

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OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Monique Abud (16 juin 2016). The dynamics of urban development of heritage in Asia. Carnets du Centre Chine (CNRS/EHESS). Consulté le 25 avril 2025 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/mfn8


Monique Abud

Centre d'études sur la Chine moderne et contemporaine, EHESS, Paris, France

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