Heritage buildings and community sense of place

Abstract

New Zealand is a nation that has a significant amount of built heritage, of which there are several internationally recognised landmarks, including the Christchurch Cathedral, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and the Chateau Tongariro. These structures contribute to establishing a sense of place within a community as landmarks, gathering places, and keepers of memories and personal sentiments. Unfortunately, due to New Zealand’s recent and historic seismic activity, these landmarks, commonly constructed as unreinforced concrete or masonry, are susceptible to severe damage from earthquake-induced ground shaking. For this reason, the New Zealand government introduced the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016, which presented stricter seismic strengthening regulations for vulnerable buildings (earthquake-prone buildings) to ensure better life safety outcomes for such structures. The associated costs and challenges of retrofitting heritage buildings have put many of these structures at risk of abandonment or demolition, taking their embodied heritage value with them. This research uses survey data to establish how heritage buildings develop a sense of place within a community and how the public’s perception can implicate preserving heritage buildings. Survey results indicated that people value these structures in their communities. Further, personal connections to heritage buildings or knowledge of the historical context improve the desire to preserve and restore these structures.