Conservation and rehabilitation of urban heritage in developing countries

This paper addresses rehabilitation and conservation of old inner-city areas and historic monuments in the cities of the developing world which have so far received very little attention in urban development policy. The need for urban rehabilitation and adaptive re-use is discussed with reference to a number of cases, i.e. Cairo, Tunis, Sanaʹa, Aleppo, Delhi, Bombay, Bhaktapur, Galle, Penang, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Quito, Cartagena, Rio de Janeiro and Havana. A delineation of the concept is provided, and some key aspects of rehabilitation are discussed. The paper concludes with considerations on the need for area rehabilitation and revitalisation approaches which maintain the typical urban tissue and essential qualities of the historic areas and of the life of the communities residing there, but which can also adapt the physical structures and activities to some of the present day requirements. In terms of monuments, it is stressed that these need to be seen as part of conservation areas, and that their sustainability and revitalisation will be most feasible if they are integrated into new concepts of use.