The past as a catalyst for cultural sustainability in historic cities; the case of Doha, Qatar

Abstract

ABSTRACT Historic urban centres are struggling to survive in rapidly emerging global environments. While many significant historic districts were demolished to pave the way for new environments, others just disappeared from neglect and destruction. Tensions over land use and the continued consumption of historical areas such as trade and tourism place considerable pressures on their distinctive values that make them attractive places in which to live, work and visit. Such pressures have brought into focus the extent to which cultural sustainability can participate in revitalising a historic city while sustaining its place identity in a global world. In the age of globalisation, the mismatch between cultural (history, memory) and economic forces (tourism, trade) in a historic city can lead to the erosion of place identity. Within this context, this paper explores the following question; ‘in what way can cultural and economic forces be integrated with a historical city or district to accommodate change while sustaining its place identity’? The case study approach is used as the primary method of investigation, and old Doha in Qatar is the main setting of research.