Community-led Heritage Regeneration in India

Principal Investigator(s): Professor Aylin Orbasli

Contact: aorbasli@brookes.ac.uk

Funded by: AHRC

About us

The project, funded by the AHRC/ICHR Newton Bhabha Fund, was carried out as an action-research project by two University partners, Oxford Brookes University in the UK and the School of Planning and Architecture Delhi in India, in collaboration with local NGO, Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE).

Through a six-month collaborative research project, we investigated opportunities for community-centred regeneration around Agra’s forgotten historic Mughal era gardens, through regeneration initiatives involving local communities in ‘edge’ and forgotten areas, with the overarching research question: ‘Can communities take a leading role in using heritage as a means of regeneration?’.

Regeneration around Agra’s historic Mughal era gardens

Research impact

Oxford Brookes and SPA Delhi students talking to local inhabitants in a riverside neighbourhood

The project involved the participation of postgraduate students through a live project as co-researchers. Public sector authorities and local communities provided direct input in the process, with sector experts providing guidance and feedback through a series of peer review workshops.

Membership

Staff

Name Role Email
Professor Aylin Orbasli Professor of Architectural and Urban Heritage aorbasli@brookes.ac.uk