Page 71 - JCAU-7-3

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Creative heritage and experiential tourism

getaway destinations and, increasingly, national tourist
destinations (Tianjin Bureau of Statistics, 2016). This trend
underscores the role of tourism in rewriting modern local,
and even national, history.
3. Methodological considerations

This research is based on a number of empirical studies.
A four-year research project (2016 – 2019), carried out as
part of the international research project “Patrimondi,”
funded by the French National Research Agency, explored
the ways in which heritage dynamics interact with tourist
mobilities and global circulations (of people, ideas, capital,
and images). The data collected during this research were
supplemented by additional information gathered during
two field visits in September 2023 and October 2024. These Figure 3. Minyuan Terrace. Entrance to the Summer Night Market.
visits enabled ongoing monitoring of the transformations Source: Photo by Lu (2019).
of the heritage buildings in the former concessions and
their evolving functions.
The findings and discussion are based on qualitative
data collection methods. Throughout our fieldwork, we
conducted an in-depth case study investigation (Yin, 2009)
of the concessions and their various developments. Our
approach combined urban analysis with both participatory
(e.g., museum visits, consumption experiences, guided
tours) and non-participatory observation of these sites
over multiple visits. In addition, we conducted semi-
structured interviews in Chinese with pre-identified
stakeholders, including developers, public authorities,
business owners, scholars, and members of conservation
associations, to understand how they looked at the former
concessions and grappled with the heritage (Table 1). Each
interview was pre-scheduled and lasted approximately
1 h. The interviews were subsequently transcribed and Figure 4. Xiannong Block
Source: Photo by Lu (2018).
translated to facilitate thematic analysis. Furthermore, we
conducted a thematic analysis of institutional documents heritage into a leisure and tourism district (Figure 5); (iii) the
(both national and local) related to tourism strategies and complete reconstruction of the historical Minyuan Stadium
heritage preservation policies from the 1990s onward. serves as an example of heritage simulacrum (Figure 6); (iv)

3.1. Data analysis: Creating the conditions for the finally, the China House in the French Concession, represents
development of creative tourism – The example of a new museographic space, characterized by the “creative
four urban projects in former concessions destruction” of architectural heritage (Figure 7).
To understand how local stakeholders in Tianjin have 3.2. Minyan Terrasse and Xiannong Block: Creativity,
leveraged the heritage of the former concessions to create cultural heritage, and the commoditization of
an urban tourism destination, four projects (Figure 2) were Wudadao district
selected for analysis. These projects represent different heritage THARD’s intervention in Wudadao began in 2006 with
adaptation strategies within the creativity paradigm (Table 2). the renovation of a row of 2-story “British-style” buildings
Each case illustrates a distinct approach to how heritage can built in the 1930s (interview with THARD, 2018). This pilot
serve as a vehicle for the development of creative and cultural project, later branded as the Minyuan Terrace Cultural
tourism: (i) Minyuan Terrace (Figure 3) and Xiannong Block Creative Block (Figure 4), aimed to initiate the renovation
(Figure 4) illustrate the “creative” restoration of Wudadao of the neighborhood. Since its opening in 2009, Minyuan
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district; (ii) the global renovation of the former Italian
Concession exemplifies a façadist approach, transforming 10 Interview with Li Qian, consultant, 2018.

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 7 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.3703