Fu, S., Verdini, G. Creative placemaking at heritage sites between material improvements and selective memory: the case of Wudadao in Tianjin. Built Heritage 9, 38 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-025-00202-2
Wudadao, the former British concession area of Tianjin, has undergone significant regeneration over the past decade, becoming a key urban tourism destination. This regeneration, driven by a successful creative placemaking strategy, effectively protected urban heritage, reviving the glory of the 1920s foreign architecture. However, in this paper we argue that these achievements have come at a cost to the existing local community. Drawing on interviews with local authorities and civil society, historical analysis, and field observations, this paper aims to reveal the material and symbolic impact of urban regeneration on Wudadao inhabitants and their stories.
