Heritage values: towards a holistic and participatory management approach

Abstract

Purpose In other fields, like natural resources, a wide range of participatory methods have been applied, criticized and adapted trough practice. Areas such as anthropology, history or architecture have contributed to the identification of heritage values. Semi-structured interviews and cultural mapping are examples of qualitative and participative methods that have been applied already in the conservation field. Nevertheless, no framework exists to assess the effectiveness of such methods and little experience has been built up in actor’s integration within the heritage value identification process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework to recognize heritage values incorporating multidisciplinary and multi-actor perspectives. Design/methodology/approach The socio-praxis approach, which is the outcome of an articulation of diverse methodologies that aim to support social processes from a bottom-up approach as a tool for decision making and community planning, was implemented in the present research. In this context, it supported the identification of heritage values incorporating multidisciplinary and multi-actor perspectives of two traditional neighborhoods of the city of Cuenca in Ecuador. Findings The results show that the identification of heritage values from multidisciplinary and multi-actor perspectives allows a more comprehensive vision of the existing values and the process reveals a greater involvement of the neighbors in heritage issues. The importance of structuring organized group of neighbors and positioning them as living experts has showed the complexity of cultural heritage conservation process but at the same time the significance for heritage management has been demonstrated. Therefore, this experience can be considered as an invaluable tool for heritage sites managers. Originality/value Stakeholder involvement in heritage conservation management has been widely discussed on international forums in the ultimate decades. While the importance of actor perceptions and priorities for sustainable heritage conservation is recognized, little has been said about the ways to reveal – non-expert – heritage values in such a way that people get involved in the heritage value assessment. In this perspective, the present research represents an invaluable tool for heritage sites that aim to implement a long-term management plans.

Becoming a smart old town – How to manage stakeholder collaboration and cultural heritage

“…There are issues about preservation, i.e. preservation of environment and facilities, and issues about development and contemporary use of cultural heritage in creating new experiences and structures, which is in line with Evans (1997), Heras et al (2019) and Li and Hunter (2015). The respondents express ambiguities about the regulations and different jurisdictions found in the Old Town, which leads to uncertainties, misconceptions and, in the long run, conflicts.…”

“…According to Agbali et al (2019), open innovation in a smart city context might be viewed as a valuable platform for building a smarter city through social interaction and collaboration. The heritage and commodification of cultural resources as a basis for city regeneration and smart innovation has increasingly become a key process of urban governance (Heras et al, 2019;Lin and Hsing, 2009). Ashworth (2017) emphasizes that a place such as a city often is linked to past, present and future: "heritage is the medium through which senses of place are created from senses of time" and thus also include "the process of identification of people with places and the role of heritage as a contemporary use of the pasts" (Ashworth, 2017: Introduction).…”

“…Similar studies show the extended value of cultural heritage as more than merely the physical monuments, hence including both tangible and intangible aspects (Al-hagla, 2010) referring to the "DNA of place" (Davison Porter et al, 2017, p. 508). Heras et al (2019) have argued for a need of policies and management guidelines that counteract the unbalanced new usage of historic centers. Unique tangible resources (old buildings, genuine monuments, etc.)…”

“…The mix of stakeholders for smart city development is hence complex and the communication between cultural heritage and stakeholders is of major importance. It is further demonstrated that the application of participatory methodologies in the management of city transformation is effective to activate more sustainable processes in the cultural heritage field (Heras et al, 2019). Such approaches are considered to address more socially sustainable outcomes, i.e.…”

A Built Heritage Information System Based on Point Cloud Data: HIS-PC

“…International organisations such as UNESCO pledge for integrated management to deal with aspects such as their historical, social, environmental and human components [3]. The primary objective is preserving the values associated with heritage sites over time [4][5][6]. The development of HIS is essential to achieve better site management, conservation, information dissemination and public mediation, but it requires some significant progress.…”