Balancing commercial and heritage scapes: Atmosphere, vitality and sterility in the urban conservation spaces of Shanghai

Abstract

This paper examines the tensions between commercialisation and heritage preservation in Shanghai’s urban conservation spaces. It critically reflects on the processes of redevelopment, arguing that while conservation efforts are often framed as protecting heritage, they simultaneously risk producing sterile and commodified urban environments that prioritise tourism and consumption. Drawing on urban theory and case-based discussion, the paper highlights how vitality, atmosphere, and local identity can be undermined by market-driven redevelopment. It questions whether conservation strategies in Shanghai genuinely sustain urban heritage and cultural memory, or rather transform historic neighbourhoods into controlled commercial landscapes.