Urban conservation in the public eye: Evaluating the integrity achieved in the rehabilitation plan of Karim-Khan Zand Complex, Shiraz, Iran based on people’s perceptions

Abstract

With the development of the concept of urban heritage and accepting the inherent dynamics of city, the heritage integrity has shifted from a static to a more dynamic concept, which accepts that physical changes can occur over time without negatively impacting heritage significance. This study focuses on the concept of dynamic integrity, its role in the scholarly discussion of urban heritage conservation, and its importance in practicing urban conservation. To achieve that, this paper evaluates the success of the Rehabilitation Plan of Karim-Khan Zand Complex, located in Shiraz, Iran based on public perceptions and collective memory. The main research questions revolve around whether the project has been successful in providing people with an integrated image of the historical condition of the complex as it was built in the 18th century; whether people acknowledge the changes and demolitions of the area done in the process of reconstructing the complex as its origin; and whether people’s collective memories of the complex were respected in the process. Mental mapping was used to measure the success of the project in strengthening structural integrity and semi-structured interviews were conducted to evaluate dynamic integrity. The results of this study show that people had memories and values associated with some of the contemporary architectural and urban features that were removed by practitioners to make the area look as it was in the 18th century. Also, despite demolishing buildings and urban features associated with people’s collective memory, people did not fully perceive the structural integrity proposed by the project. This research suggests that before any physical manipulation is begun to strengthen the structural integrity of the urban heritage, it is necessary to identify the values to which people feel connected, and engage a more dynamic approach toward the concept of integrity in the conservation of urban heritage. Collective memories of people encompass values of urban heritage, and if conserved properly, can ensure the continuity of heritage values over time.