Urban Conservation Planning in Southeast Asia

Courses for urban planners and architects on internationally recognized urban conservation planning methodologies

A row of waterfront wooden homes sit in front of a high-rise apartment building

About

Goal

The vast Southeast Asia region faces formidable challenges to the conservation of its urban cultural heritage from population growth, intensifying tourism, economic and infrastructure development, and lack of institutional or legal frameworks to alleviate destruction of historic urban fabric.

This project seeks to improve urban conservation practice in the region by offering a series of short, intensive, and practical courses for Malaysian and other Southeast Asian urban planners and architects that emphasize internationally recognized urban conservation planning methodologies.

Outcomes

  • Series of courses entitled Urban Conservation Planning in Malaysia that emphasized internationally recognized urban conservation planning methodologies for twenty participants in George Town, Penang, in 2012 and 2013, and in Kuala Lumpur in 2015
  • Educational materials including technical notes about key concepts and instruments used by urban conservation planners, outlines of sessions and exercises used during the courses, useful bibliographies, and other related sources
  • Nineteen professional trained in how to manage the challenges of a historic site in their respective cities through "Old Cities, New Challenges,” a 2024 online course for mid-career urban planners, architects, and associated urban conservation professionals from the ASEAN region

Background

This project developed from the Built Heritage in Southeast Asia Initiative and a 2005 assessment of the initiative’s work, which identified a need for professional training and guidance on dealing with rampant urban development in the region.

The vast Southeast Asia region faces formidable challenges to the conservation of its urban cultural heritage from population growth, intensifying tourism, economic and infrastructure development, and, in places, a lack of institutional or legal frameworks to mitigate destruction of historic urban fabric.

Project Team

Sara Lardinois, Project Manager, Senior Project Specialist; Sara Iwahashi, Supervisor and Senior Project Coordinator

Partner

Think City Institute

Contact the Team

Related

  1. Think City

    Website

    An impact organization dedicated to making cities more liveable, environmentally and socially resilient, and sustainable

  2. Conservation Education at Vat Phou

    Video

    Video thumbnail featuring a photo of course participants gathered around a talking teacher

    A workshop in Vat Phou, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, organized by the Getty Conservation Institute and partners

  3. Archaeological Site Protection and Management

    Teaching resource

    A seated statue at the site of Wat Pa Sak in Thailand

    Materials originally developed for the course "Conserving Heritage In South East Asian Cities: Planning For Continuity and Change"

  4. Badan Warisan Malaysia

    Website

    National heritage NGO working to raise awareness of heritage issues and advocate for a conservation-friendly environment in Malaysia

  5. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

    Website

    An intergovernmental organization of ten Southeast Asian countries that addresses economic and security issues

  6. Built Heritage in Southeast Asia: Conservation Education and Training Initiative

    Project

    Training and capacity-building for professionals working in built heritage, focused on regional preservation challenges