Community Participation in the Conservation of Residential Historical Blocks: A Case Study of Beijing Hutongs

<p>With the slowdown of urbanization and the rise of public awareness of conservation, the regeneration of Beijing Old City has gradually shifted from large-scale demolition and construction to conservation and adaptive reuse. Existing research primarily focuses on the pre-planning and process, but lacked continuous follow-up on the later stages of the project, and research on core community remains limited. </p><p></p><p>This study aims to analyze the impact of community participation on the effectiveness of heritage conservation by analyzing the cases of Yu'er Hutong (2015–2020) and Shijia Hutong (2010–2019) renewal and renovation, which were completed about five years ago. This study adopts a qualitative research method, based on the theoretical framework of living heritage, and analyzes it in depth through multiple dimensions, such as field survey, courtyard plan analysis, and stakeholder mapping. </p><p></p><p>The results indicate that the verticalized governance is effective in improving the physical environment on an emergency basis. The depth of community participation has a significant positive impact on conservation effectiveness, while substantial participation can realize the synergy between heritage values and community needs. In addition, there is a general problem of business mix homogenization, unbalanced collaboration, and a lack of adaptive management mechanisms. </p><p></p><p>This study provides a more comprehensive adaptive assessment of conservation projects in residential historic districts and serves as a valuable reference for policymakers in their decision-making process regarding the selection of heritage conservation methods.</p>