Alternative Governance Model for Historical Building Conservation in China: From Property Rights Perspective

Nan Guo,Edwin Hon Wan Chan,Esther Hiu Kwan Yung

doi:10.3390/su13010203

Nan Guo, Edwin Hon Wan Chan + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010203

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Dec 28, 2020
Citations: 7	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of urbanisation, the adaptive reuse of heritage plays a key role in achieving sustainable development, which is widely recognised by UNESCO and International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). In the process of urban renewal, unclear property rights have seriously hindered the relocation of old houses, compensation and the adaptive reuse of historical buildings, even causing a series of social contradictions, such as violence. Moreover, forced evictions and controversy in dealing with the rights of residents, particularly the so-called ‘nail households’ have attracted public attention. However, few studies have analysed the problems and countermeasures from the perspective of unclear property rights. This study focuses on analysing the unclear property rights of historical buildings to propose an Alternative Governance Model for Historical Building Conservation in China. Founded on the Coase Theorem of externalities and property rights to examine the existing complex property ownership and rights patterns of 63 historical buildings in the famous Pingjiang Historic Block in Suzhou, China, the model provides reasonable and feasible reconstruction schemes for each situation. The operation model can also provide a symbiosis of new and old building solutions for urban renewal in developing countries, which may encounter a similar challenge of urbanisation.

Highlights

To meet the sustainability agenda of urbanisation in the process of smart and sustainable urban development, there has been a certain consensus that, compared with new buildings, the protection and transformation of old buildings have been generally accepted, due to either social effects or environmental benefits [1]
This research selected Pingjiang Historic Block as the test-bed object because the hisThis research selected Pingjiang Historic Block as the test-bed object because the historical buildings in this district cover most modes of property rights existing in China, torical buildings in this district cover most modes of property rights existing in China, which are highly concentrated in the current reconstruction of old cities, as well as in the which are highly concentrated in the current reconstruction of old cities, as well as in the protection and renewal of historical blocks in China [23]
The governance model for heritage conservation, that is, different property rights of historical buildings lead to different transformation methods

Summary

Introduction

To meet the sustainability agenda of urbanisation in the process of smart and sustainable urban development, there has been a certain consensus that, compared with new buildings, the protection and transformation of old buildings have been generally accepted, due to either social effects or environmental benefits [1]. Given the insufficient awareness about the protection of historical buildings and facing a shortage of urban land, in numerous densely populated countries and regions, in the fast-growing East Asia regions, historical buildings are demolished to meet various development needs. This practice is pervasive in many cities that are in the initial stage of economic development.

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