Promoting the social interaction in a historical community through participatory planning and design: An empirical study in Rural China

Public participation in heritage conservation is an area that lacks proper investigation in the urban planning and design discipline. To address this gap, this paper presents an empirical study of participatory design methods promoting social interaction in Liuzhi, a historical community with cultural and historical relics in rural China. Based on data collected through surveys, poster mapping, in-situ exhibition, and photo collage, this paper presents perceptions and the needs of residents for the development of cultural heritage. The results indicate that the methodology facilitates the dissemination of expertise and local knowledge, as well as the bidirectional interactions between designers and residents to enhance an understanding of the historical value of heritage. Suggestions were proposed for balancing the contradictions of expertise and local knowledge, which is imperative in the development of proposals for heritage conservation and regeneration in rural areas.