Elevating Cultural Preservation Projects into Urban Regeneration: A Case Study of Bahrain’s Pearling Trail

Haifa Tawfeeq Naseeb,Heejae Choi,Jongoh Lee

doi:10.3390/su13126629

Haifa Tawfeeq Naseeb, Heejae Choi + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126629

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Jun 10, 2021
Citations: 3	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

Abstract

The island of Muharraq in the Kingdom of Bahrain was previously in a state of socioeconomic disrepair and neglect, until the nine years-long “Pearling Trail” project revived the area. Historically, Muharraq’s importance inheres in it being the main trade center of the Middle East since the Mesopotamian period, especially as the source of the finest pearls in the world. However, the discovery of oil that led to the rapid urbanization of the region and Japan perfecting the production of cultured pearls had meant that Muharraq dwindled out of cultural significance. Due to the residents’ dissatisfaction and nostalgia for the island’s past glory, along with the government’s new policies towards cultural preservation, the “Pearling Trail” Project commenced in 2012. The Ministry of Culture of Bahrain repaired, renovated and preserved an area of 3.5 km, transforming it into an eco-museum with a thriving business and cultural community. The transformation of the island elevated the city into a trendy local attraction, hosting local and global cultural festivals and events, owing to the “Pearling Trail’s” Urban Regeneration Project’s success. By studying the “Pearling Trail” three success factors are identified: Project expansion beyond UNESCO preservation requirements, focus on sustainability and continuous use, and improved access to culture and cultural opportunities. Identifying these factors could allow for future preservation projects in Bahrain or elsewhere to be upgraded for urban regeneration or revitalization.

Highlights

The Kingdom of Bahrain’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Pearling Trail located on the island of Muharraq
The creative use of the traditional houses, the addition of other modern buildings to act as cultural centers, and the incorporation of public spaces for pedestrians and cars collectively allowed for business and cultural activity to flow back to the area
In analyzing the Pearling Trail’s progress, three factors elevated the project from a conservation project to the urban regeneration of Muharraq; project expansion, focus on sustainability, improvement of access

Summary

Introduction

The Kingdom of Bahrain’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Pearling Trail located on the island of Muharraq. This site is distinguished from others by the Bahraini government’s success in elevating it from cultural reservation to an urban regeneration project. The most significant accomplishment of Bahrain Pearling Trail regeneration project is how it revitalized Muharraq, combining historic storytelling of the region’s pearl industry with cultural preservation while generating direct economic benefits [1]. With the Pearling Trail Project the main challenge was to expand the goal from merely obtaining the UNESCO Site title that may generate global fame for a limited. With a growing population of low-class laborers and patchy regulations that allowed multistory buildings to spring up randomly in the area, the once glorious ‘souq’ became a destination for buying cheap wares and small businesses catering to low-income immigrants [7]

Decision

Development: A Combination of Efforts

A City Brought Back to Life

A Successful Project