Investigating new ways of ‘making’ heritage; The Case of the Adaptive Reuse of the Majestic Cinema

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate creative and inclusive ways of ‘making’ heritage beyond the conventional ones and highlight the social value of heritage and community integration in it. The thesis will be rooted in the notions of collective memory, identity, intangibility, and sense of place, and aims to answer questions about what preservation means and who it serves. Moreover, the intention is to shift perspective and view heritage as an experience and preservation as an act of care, as alternatives to the demolition of physical spaces that are related to culture. All these matters will be investigated through the Adaptive reuse of the Majestic Cinema into the Majestic Cultural Hub, a historic art-deco venue in Stone Town, Zanzibar. This is a broader initiative which the thesis will be part of, aiming to facilitate and promote this transition. The restoration project follows a people centred approach to heritage that means involving the various communities related to heritage for long-term conservation and management of the building to secure its future sustainability. Given this view, the thesis aims to explore the types of inclusive design strategies and the ways in which they can contribute to the preservation of living heritage alongside a formal restoration process. Moreover, the main methodological tools that the thesis deploys are participatory design and grounded field research. In the framework of the preservation of a historical building, the thesis follows a multistakeholder approach and attempts to map memories, experiences and relationships, seeking to transform this data into architecture. An architecture that will activate the space with empathy and respect for both the residents and the built heritage. Ultimately, two design strategies were developed, which endeavor to link tangible and intangible heritage; a wall mural based on the cinema’s history and the conceptual design of an open terrace which aspires to be an inclusive public space. A great case study for this dynamic approach to heritage is Stone Town, where heritage and historical buildings play an important part of the city’s identity.