Culture-Led Urban Regeneration Strategy and Its Urban Hierarchy: A Case Study of Tainan City's Secondary Southern-Gate Wall Relics Area

Abstract

This study examines how culture and urban regeneration are related, describes ”culture-led urban regeneration” strategies, explores how local government supports consumption cultures, and considers how one city is improving its competitiveness via ”culture-led urban regeneration” methods. In Tainan, an empirical study is performed on the Secondary Southern-Gate Wall Relics Area, which is located in the city center but does not belong to any cultural zone, and is not monitored regularly by city government or any other planning agency. Therefore, this study focuses on understanding how consumption cultures and culture-led urban regeneration contribute to the competitiveness of this area. Among the major research methods adopted, include literature review, field survey, collection of old photos and a panel discussion with scholars, professionals, and local residents. Results of this study are summarized as follows: (1) The project is successful due to the involvement of the university (National University of Tainan) unlike in many other cases. More specifically, this project can improve the level of identity and likeness of local residents, community organizations and school teachers and students to the cultural property of the Secondary Southern-Gate Wall Relics Area. (2) Cultural production and consumption are major elements in urban regeneration strategy, which are undertaken in order to enhance the reputation of cities via the range of consumption opportunities that they generate, particularly in an old city with richly historic-cultural heritages such as Tainan City. (3) These strategies have achieved the objective of raising the level in the urban hierarchy of the Secondary Southern-Gate Wall Relics Area. This theoretical approach of cultural-led or university-driven urban regeneration significantly contributes to urban hierarchy theory.