Heritage Narratives and Experiences: Exploring Conservation, Tourism, and City Identity in Historical Urban Contexts

Tianchen Dai, Ph.D. in Architecture, is an enthusiastic scholar who brings a global perspective to her profound exploration of historic urban landscapes and urban cultural heritage. Her academic journey has taken her to prestigious institutions in the UK and the Netherlands, enriching her knowledge and insights. With an educational background that includes a Ph.D. in Architecture from Southeast University, China, a Master of Architecture from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, UK, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Department of Built Environment, University of Nottingham, UK, Dr. Dai’s expertise is grounded in rigorous academic training. Her research journey has been marked by her time as a visiting researcher at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft Technical University, The Netherlands, from 2016 to 2018. She returned as a postdoctoral researcher from March 2020 to November 2021, contributing to the ＂Port City Futures＂ project initiated by the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centers.

Currently, she serves as an Associate Professor in Future Design School at Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) in China. Additionally, she serves as Editorial Board Member of Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, Editorial Board Member of Landscape Architecture Frontiers, Jury Member of China National Arts Fund, Jury Member of YUANYEAWARDS International Competition for Student, Member of International Network for Urban Heritage Conservation in Higher Education Institutions (UHC-HEI), Committee Member of Cultural Landscape Professional Committee of Chinese Society of Landscape Architecture, Member of International Planning History Society (IPHS), Editor of The European Journal of Creative Practices in Cities and Landscapes. Dr. Dai’s research is driven by her passion for unraveling the cultural intricacies of historic urban landscapes and urban cultural heritage. She employs digital techniques to investigate how cultural connotations evolve through local and global cultural practices. Her research areas include the recognition, designation, and protection of water heritage and maritime heritage; the role of traditional cultural practices in historic towns in promoting sustainable development in modern urban areas; the perceptual mechanisms of the general audience regarding the value of cultural heritage; and how cultural heritage preservation contributes to the industrial transformation and branding of historic cities and towns.

She has successfully translated her research findings into teaching and has worked as one of the instructors for the MOOC ＂Water Works: Activating Heritage for Sustainable Development,＂ an online course provided by TU Delft Online Learning. Her research has been funded by several competitive grants in China. Dr. Dai’s contributions have been recognized on the international stage, and she has been invited to share her insights into prestigious events, including the ＂IPHS Spotlight on Emerging Research and Researchers in Planning History＂ Special Section.

Tianchen Dai’s dedication to the intersection of architecture, heritage, and culture establishes her as a respected contributor in the field, enriching our understanding of the ever-evolving urban landscape and the protection of cultural heritage.