Heritage, values and gentrification: the redevelopment of historic areas in China

This paper explores the impacts of heritage-led urban redevelopment on local communities and associated consequences gentrification. The instrumental role cultural heritage in governance presents an underdeveloped research field Especially fast-developing countries like China, is often with beautification that favours interests affluent middle classes while disregarding needs poor migrants. uses Qujiang New District Xi’an Taipingqiao Shanghai as cases for examining landscape social fabric Chinese cities. Following a qualitative approach based built environment analysis observation, together in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this study shows how becomes effective tool context redevelopment. values generated by its ideas, including beautification, high culture economic benefits, legitimise state-dominated spatial reconstruction resulting gentrification fragmentation. Heritage-led China produces new spaces interaction, where state’s control over citizens reinforced. These support investor upper-high class capital accumulation leave limited room development alternatives.