Toward developing a sustainable regeneration framework for urban industrial heritage

Purpose Regeneration of industrial heritage aims to display the patrimony assets by launching measures to convert them into cultural spaces associated with sustainable initiatives for satisfying environmental, social and economic demands in the city. The adaptive transformation and reusing process of industrial heritage constitutes a crucial cultural objective and consequently must be identified in a way that simultaneously integrates preservation with conversion and conservation with refurbishment. Hence, this paper explores to develop a framework for the sustainable regeneration of industrial heritage in cities. Design/methodology/approach By reviewing the current literature, research and experiences on urban industrial heritage, including existing approaches, frameworks, and case studies, this study brings a theoretical and conceptual approach to sustainable regeneration of industrial heritage, which is a fundamental start point for conducting further research and performing practical projects. Findings Three key phases of the Initiation as decision context, including understand the characteristics and assess the significance, the Planning as decision problem, including study the feasibility, develop a policy, and prepare a proposed reuse plan, and the Execution as decision output, including implement the plan, monitor the results and review the plan should be considered regarding the sustainable regeneration of urban industrial heritage. Originality/value The suggested framework considers sustainable regeneration of industrial heritage in cities as a decision-making process, which requires defining the decision context, analyzing the decision problem, and finally, results in the decision output. Accordingly, it seems to help bridge the gap between various discourses and planning perspectives and make all stakeholders' involvement easier, more effective and efficient regarding the sustainable regeneration of industrial heritage in cities.