Individual Investors as Drivers of Urban Change: The Case of Historic District of Kashan, Iran

IF 0.8 0 HUMANITIES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Heritage and Society Pub Date : 2021-09-02 DOI:10.1080/2159032X.2022.2126212

Naimeh Rezaei, Mohammadreza Gholami Gowhareh

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

ABSTRACT Many historic city centers around the world have begun a process of regeneration in recent decades after years of stagnation and decline. Numerous factors play a role in the transformations of the historic center, including cultural tendencies, urban public policies, real estate market trends, and tourism. This study investigates the transformations of the historic neighborhoods of Kashan in Iran, during which private investors began to buy, restore, and reuse the historic houses since the 1990s. We applied a qualitative research approach, focusing on face-to-face semi-structured interviews and observations. The findings of this study revealed four groups of investors with different backgrounds and motivations: (1) rich pioneers from Tehran fascinated by architectural heritage, (2) Iranian expatriates influenced by nostalgia for authenticity, (3) European professionals interested in Iranian art and aesthetics, and (4) local investors mostly aiming to revitalize their childhood memories and introduce their cultural heritage to tourists. This study also shows that different urban transformation processes overlap and occur simultaneously in the historic neighborhoods of Kashan, generated by different investors.

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个人投资者作为城市变化的驱动力:以伊朗卡尚历史街区为例

摘要近几十年来，世界上许多历史悠久的城市中心在经历了多年的停滞和衰落后，开始了复兴进程。许多因素在历史中心的转变中发挥着作用，包括文化趋势、城市公共政策、房地产市场趋势和旅游业。这项研究调查了伊朗卡山历史街区的改造，自20世纪90年代以来，私人投资者开始购买、修复和再利用这些历史悠久的房屋。我们采用了定性研究方法，重点是面对面的半结构化访谈和观察。这项研究的结果揭示了四组具有不同背景和动机的投资者：（1）来自德黑兰的富有先驱对建筑遗产着迷，（2）受真实怀旧情绪影响的伊朗侨民，（3）对伊朗艺术和美学感兴趣的欧洲专业人士，以及（4）当地投资者主要致力于振兴他们的童年记忆，并向游客介绍他们的文化遗产。这项研究还表明，不同的城市转型过程在卡山历史街区重叠并同时发生，由不同的投资者产生。

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来源期刊

Heritage and Society HUMANITIES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY-

CiteScore

0.80

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Heritage & Society is a global, peer-reviewed journal that provides a forum for scholarly, professional, and community reflection on the cultural, political, and economic impacts of heritage on contemporary society. We seek to examine the current social roles of collective memory, historic preservation, cultural resource management, public interpretation, cultural preservation and revitalization, sites of conscience, diasporic heritage, education, legal/legislative developments, cultural heritage ethics, and central heritage concepts such as authenticity, significance, and value. The journal provides an engaging forum about tangible and intangible heritage for those who work with international and governmental organizations, academic institutions, private heritage consulting and CRM firms, and local, associated, and indigenous communities. With a special emphasis on social science approaches and an international perspective, the journal will facilitate lively, critical discussion and dissemination of practical data among heritage professionals, planners, policymakers, and community leaders.