On local and international levels, urban heritage is a powerful vector for development and enhancement of identities, as well as a lever for the tourist economy and various aspects of metropolitan spatial planning. However, its preservation in the urban landscape remains fragile and requires the involvement of various players, both private and public. While maintaining the built heritage appears to be a means of addressing the issues of sustainable development and revitalizing the urban environment, there are also concerns about the advantages of doing so while taking into account social, technological, legal, and financial limitations. In a broader sense, the restoration of historic structures calls into question the harmony between corporate interests and stakeholder collaboration.

The «Rehabilitating Historic City Centers’ Built Heritage: Metropolitan Players in the Climate Crisis» seminar provides an opportunity for practitioners and researchers to exchange experiences in an international context. The discussion will focus on several questions: what legal, technical, and financial tools are available to public authorities to support or even encourage the rehabilitation of UNESCO-listed heritage? What private players are involved? Who are the players investing in the rehabilitation of built heritage, and what are their drivers? Is the climate emergency a factor in speeding up rehabilitation, or does it threaten the preservation of old buildings? Whether to demolish or renovate, preserve or renew—what are the economic, social, and heritage issues behind these choices?

This seminar will bring together contributions from a wide range of disciplines, including urban planners, architects, geographers, sociologists, economists, lawyers, and managers. A round-table discussion and an urban tour will give participants and opportunity to debate and experience the subject of the study.