2024 June

Editorial

Under the influence of globalization, heritage conservation and urban regeneration have become shared concerns to countries and regions in contemporary urban development. Striking a balance involves protecting and utilizing historical and cultural heritage and the pursuit of social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

As an international platform for architectural exchange, Architecture Asia has, for the first time, brought together scholars from Asia, Africa, and Europe to introduce cutting-edge theories and practices in the relevant fields. Through these exchanges, scholars worldwide collaboratively construct localized theories and practices to enrich the global discourse. This issue is drawn from the Architecture Asia Forum Series: Global and Local-Heritage Conservation and Urban Regeneration, which convened 12 experts and scholars from Kenya, Nepal, Italy, France, the UK, and China. The forum convenor was Ar. Wu Jiang, the editor-in-chief. Ar.Thomas Cheung, ARCASIA Vice President (Zone C), delivered the opening speech.

The forum sought to share global practices and explore innovative models through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary dialogues. Reflecting on the issue discussion, Professor Nilda Valentin analyzed the challenges and opportunities in the urban regeneration of historic cultural centers. Professor Kalandar Shedor Kamalkhan focused on the Old Town of Mombasa, Kenya, proposing strategies for heritage conservation and architectural restoration. Director Onesmus Kakoi Mwatu examined Kenya’s legal framework and underscored the necessity of aligning urban planning policies with heritage protection regulations. Architect Padma Sundar Maharjan emphasized the social-constructivist nature of architecture and advocated for the concurrent development of heritage conservation and urban regeneration.

These contributions have envisioned the potential for cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration to innovate heritage conservation and urban regeneration models. They have also expanded ARCASIA’s exchange network beyond Asia, fostering the integration of Asian and global experiences.