Promoting conservation or change? The UNESCO label of world heritage (re)shaping urban morphology in the Old Town of Lijiang, China

The UNESCO World Heritage label significantly reshapes urban morphology, often prioritizing physical conservation over traditional social fabric. A study on Lijiang's Old Town found that while architectural structures and historic characteristics were well-preserved post-inscription, neighborhood networks and cultural cohesion eroded due to heritage-led development. The research introduces the Conzenian approach as a framework for monitoring Outstanding Universal Values (OUV) and employs spatial plan analysis alongside multi-stakeholder interviews to assess urban morphology from macro to micro levels. This method reveals a tension between conservation efforts and economic growth, offering insights into balancing heritage preservation with sustainable urban development in China and globally.

Li, J., Dai, T., Yin, S., Zhao, Y., Ikiz Kaya, D., & Yang, L. (2022). Promoting conservation or change? The UNESCO label of world heritage (re)shaping urban morphology in the Old Town of Lijiang, China. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 11(6), 1121–1133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2022.05.008