Managing Heritage Conservation and Urban Development: Approaches to Settlement Conservation in Historic Towns of Gujarat, India
Foram N. Bhatt & Aditya Jain
Abstract
Foram N. Bhatt & Aditya Jain
Abstract
The living historic settlements are the result of constant evolution and growth. The current situation of these settlements in India reflects the natural and cultural determinants that shaped their emergence and development in distinctive ways. The changing dynasties, trade and commerce, and significance as religious or cultural centres are some of the key parameters that shape the historic settlement in a specific manner. With time, the process of cultural amalgamation and exchange of ideas develops and exhibits its confluence through rich and layered manifestations in the form of built interventions. Indeed, they exhibit layers of interventions responding to the changing needs of the time. Amidst the process of urbanisation, the built forms and patterns from the past have still survived the development pressures. Multiple factors define the condition of heritage sites, including ownership, land use patterns, and socio-economic context. However, the rapid growth of urbanisation is accelerating construction activities in heritage precincts, posing a threat to the values associated with them, both tangible and intangible. In this context, this paper examines the issue of heritage conservation and urban development in order to develop approaches to settlement conservation in historic towns of Gujarat, India. It employs archival research and field work involving physical observations of three historic towns of Gujarat, in India. Vadnagar, Kapadvanj and Bharuch. The study reveals that the impact of unguided built interventions on the values associated with heritage sites is critical. It thus concludes that there is an urgent need to derive heritage-centric development bylaws to protect the integrity and authenticity of the historic settlements. The research identifies the impact of built interventions in the context of living historic settlements and develops a framework to create context-responsive interventions for retaining heritage values in the heritage sites in India.
Keywords:
Settlement Conservation, Historic Cities, Urban Development, Growth, Context Responsive Development, Integrity, Authenticity, India.