An integrated participatory approach in managing built heritage

Abstract

The research treats one of the obstacles related to the management of heritage buildings in the city of Al Salt, Jordan. Many buildings are vacant due to a situation involving co-ownership which prevents achieving a consensus on decisions related to the rehabilitation of the heritage context, and thus impedes the development operations in the city. In parallel, authorities in Al Salt are not used to effectively engaging stakeholders in problem-solving and planning for development initiatives, due to the lack of knowledge of authorities about community participation, and the awareness level of the local community. The approach of the research relies on community participation through engaging different categories, including authorities, buildings’ co-owners, non-governmental organizations, donors, and professionals. The theoretical background investigates literature related to the management of built heritage, community participation, and management of co-ownership, in addition to national and international practices that enrich the research’s approach. Techniques of a high level of participation were used to explore the attitudes of coowners and authorities toward the obstacle of co-ownership, arrive at a consensus on a solution, and then develop a management plan for a pilot building. The management plan considers international guidelines issued by reputable organizations, and the research uses techniques of interviews, mini-focus groups, a consensus meeting, and a participatory planning workshop. Management of co-ownership has been inducted and found applicable through using cooperative associations and transferring shares of ownership into shares in the association’s capital. Multi-purpose cooperatives were proposed to co-owners of the pilot building, and then approved for their appropriateness in solving the co-ownership obstacle. For the purpose of supporting the proposed association, six representatives of more than one hundred co-owners of the pilot building participated in developing a management plan with other stakeholders. The plan included consensus on the problem’s definition, and proposed functions inside the building. It also proposed partners that might be interested in providing necessary fund. Accordingly, the research has evaluated the participation process and developed a community participation toolkit. The toolkit can be used by authorities and other parties interested in handling participation activities with the local community in general, and co-owners of heritage buildings in specific.