Restoring the Local Heritage and its Role in Sustainable Spatial Development the Great Market in Al-Najaf – a Case Study

Regional and local changes in Iraq have led to an accelerated dynamic of comprehensive development without the preservation of local heritage, which caused the loss of many traditional buildings, changing their urban fabric, the emergence of contradictory architectural styles, and others without a clear and specific identity, causing visual deformation. The research problem was identified from the goals and principles of urban design that concerned with the conservation, restoration, and continuity of heritage context, activates their role in sustainable development programs and as a response to changes and radical shifts in spatial structures of city centers, and the social and economic changes, as; “the lack of clear indicators for the restoration of local heritage and its role in achieving spatial development”. The paper will present an analytical study of international and Arabic leading experiences, in the processes of preserving and restoring local heritage, as an important policy in the development and sustainability of places, and try to assess the local experience, according to the indicators derived from them, conduct recommendations for developing the methodologies and policies of restoring local heritage, that suit with the identity and privacy of historical and heritage contexts. KeywordsLocal heritage, Restoration, Conservation, Rehabilitation, Spatial development, Sustainability, Cultural Contexts. How to cite this article: W.Sh. Al-Hinkawi and B.A. Al-Saadawi, “Restoring the Local Heritage and its Role in Sustainable Spatial Development the Great Market in Al-Najaf – a Case Study,” Engineering and Technology Journal, Vol. 37, Part C, No. 1, pp. 49-58, 2019.


Introduction
Local heritage is a social and economic means of development, it is an important part of the cultural heritage, that supports sustainable urban development in all its dimensions; social, economic, cultural, and environmental, to do this important role requires the activation of intervention policies by restoration and rehabilitation, therefore, the research seeks to "Build a comprehensive theoretical framework for the indicators of restoring the traditional urban environments in cities," as a strategy to achieve balance and integration between preserving the heritage, that defines the identity, and collective memory of cities, contribute to their development on one hand, and the connection with present and future generation's culture on the other, which requires: • Defining the local heritage, its role in building national identity and its contribution to economic development, identifying the necessary urban issues and classifying them into potentials and determinants.
• Revealing of the intervention policy by restoration to revive local heritage, defining the most important approaches and vocabularies in dealing with various heritage components, to achieve general sustainable urban development in cities, and spatial development of heritage contexts.
• Present the urban development project of Al-Najaf city center, according to the vocabulary of the theoretical framework, and their impact on the heritage within the traditional fabric reaching to the results and conclusions.

Local Heritage
With the emergence of spatial development and sustainable trends that pointed out the importance of local heritage, as a source of culture and intellectual production that given the city and its inhabitants the distinct spatial identity, the paper will address some of the definitions and concepts of local heritage, including its dimensions, importance, and conceptual, formation and symbolic characteristics which include: 1) It is a collective product in a distinctive form, that man lives, and experiences, expressing the memory of the city, characterized by its permanence and adaptability, rooted in the civilizations to represent the connection of the past to the present. The local heritage is a complex entity that evolves through time and space to form urban facts that can be depended as patterns in design [1].

2)
Local heritage values are the sacred structures of society, which represents the buildings, places and public spaces that reinforce or symbolize and sometimes glorify the patterns of daily life and rituals of societies' life, which have become important and necessary because of its symbolism or use, and its value in collective memory, It is a repository for the memories and historical events [2].
3) The cultural heritage is the means by which the culture transmitted from one generation to another, the loss of this heritage means losing an essential part of civilization or culture. Dealing with the historical heritage is based on three aspects: (according to the historical determinism, the interest in tradition and cultural heritage, or according to the quotation or metaphor from historical forms) [3] . 4) It is the facts which local cultural resources can be identified, documented, and re-photographed through, where the cultural materials and elements are recorded, such as artistic products, handicrafts, distinctive landmarks, and local events ..., As well as nonphysical things such as memories, personal history, attitudes, and popular values, these make the community unique. The Local heritage creates a range of activities or social projects to register to preserve and use these elements, as well as helping the community to recognize, celebrate and support the cultural diversity of economic, social, regional and spatial development [4].

5)
The local heritage has multiple levels of values, including cultural, historical, religion, and human, etc., related to human life and its various fields. They can be generally classified as physical values represented by physical and nonphysical cultural heritage, their importance is embodied in their reflection on the surrounding environment and society [5]. According to previous literature, the local heritage may be defined as "A comprehensive spatial inputs for physical, cultural and historical values, and nonphysical cultural values. It is the mirror of different cultures and ages, the result of accumulation of human experience, and a means to preserve the identity and originality of that society or nation, represents the living memory of the individual and the community, as the accumulation of information makes the collective memory, the accumulation of experiences makes civilization". The restoration and presenting of the local heritage require the use of all sources that provide a basis for preserving the built, cultural, social and economic environment, to achieve the distinctive character of the place, and ensure that its values or elements are not distorted or misused.

The Restoration of Local Heritage
Our of the Iraqi cities have suffered from the lack of attention to the local heritage, which defined the identity of places and characterized its architecture over centuries. Hence, a necessity arose to activate the intervention levels as a strategy for sustainable upgrading to restore the urban heritage and to achieve the quality of life in various sectors, in order to reach a better development future for the heritage. Therefore, the concept of restoration will be discussed in previous literature and studies: -Restoration means returning the artifacts to their original physical condition they had at some previous stage of their life [6].
-Restoration is one of the conservative guiding methods, usually done by the elite. Emerged in ideological schools with different approaches. Some of them have called for preservation without restoration when the others depended on the careful preservation and restoration. The restoration of urban contexts includes three interrelated goals: Physical (The preservation of the building), spatial (the relationship between spaces and its use), and social (users, the local community and the inhabitant as a whole). Sustainable urban restoration can only be achieved if there is urban life in the restored context [7]. -Restoration calls for sustainable human development seeks to educate communities and intellectual growth, depends on available material and human resources, that promote historical and heritage values [8].
-According to Orbasli, 2000, urban restoration is the enhancement of the environment and ensuring its continuity as a sustainable and desirable place for living, it is an economic and social issue, as "The consideration of the human living environment cannot be separated from the considerations of the living society itself" and as culture is an essential part of human and urban life, a vital and developed element of society, related from past to the future through the present. It also means preserving the desirability or continuity of a particular culture -in fact, "we preserve cultures, not buildings" [9]. -Restoration as a principle means the return of each building to its original style, not only with respect to the appearance but also to the structure, it also aims to reconstruct the building to perfect state that may not exist at any time. This means the replacement, and in some cases restores the original and historical materials that were lost from the building [10]. -Elnokaly & Elseragy define the restoration as the mechanism that achieves the greatest care in the preservation of ancient monuments and buildings with historical, cultural and archaeological value, as well as valuable urban centers, which represent the urban heritage, it also includes the restoration of other nonphysical cultural elements such as traditions and beliefs, which play a major role in the expression about the use of space and the built environment. The urban development projects based on restoration tend to attract various kinds of economic, cultural and competitive activities, thus encouraging new residents and visitors to reconsider, rediscover, and continually occupy these restored contexts. Moreover, upgrading the environment, the social fabric and urban spaces within the historical urban structure all contribute in increasing adoption them as places that achieve the common sense, attracting people and encouraging diversity of opportunities and events, which in turn increases social interaction and cohesion among the inhabitance, thus the local identity is formed, and enhanced the sense of spatial belonging [11]. -There are many reasons for restoring the historic buildings, often related to the context or specific to the building. Tiesdell included a set of general values of the restored historical buildings; aesthetic value, architectural diversity, environmental diversity, functional diversity, memory continuity, cultural heritage, economic and commercial value [12]. -The restoration approaches or methods in dealing with the local heritage within the urban development projects vary according to its relation to the urban context. Ibrahim points out two of them; the first is to isolate the building from its surroundings and to emphasize the homogeneity or contradiction with the traditional architectural features (iconic approach) dealing with the building as a monument, separated from the surrounding architectural or urban context, the second seeks continuity and preservation, where the building is representative of a certain history to be integrated with the future, conserve the relation with the surrounding spaces and buildings, in a consistent form that contributes in presenting heritage values, respecting human dimension, which enhances the building and its originality, and compatible with contemporary needs without any separation. [13], when, Attia pointed out that the heritage restoration approaches vary in the implementation methods from the preservation, which allows no change or renewal, only with great care and the necessity to preserve the original function, to the romantic (Iconic), which concern about the maintaining of the external appearance isolating the building from the surrounding context, the third approach, is the realist-integrative which combine the conservation and development together [14]. From the above, we may say, that "urban restoration for heritage is more than an intervention, it is one of the strategies within the rehabilitation policy for the cultural and spatial continuity, aims to transform the heritage to a tool in planning and developing the future,sustain historical and traditional buildings with the place; including various functions, that help to reshape the historical cities, making livable places, enhance the sense of place, supports the elements of local identity, and revive the collective memory, within the historical, social, ethical, economic, and administrative principles of urban design, according to the (Conservative, Iconic, Realistic and integrative) approaches in urban restoration.

Restoring Heritage and Sustainable Spatial Development
1) Spatial development is the interactive participation between the sustainability of the place with its heritage and historical symbols and its development in accordance with the criteria of (LED), which enhances the viability of living, attract local tourists and investors to encourage opportunities and activities, provide justice and safety, reduce costs, improve the city's environment, provide services and infrastructures, and create environmentally friendly urban spaces [15].
2) The restoration of local heritage (physical, nonphysical) is an important catalyst factor for sustainable spatial development within the urban context, by encouraging and implementing the sustainable consumption and production patterns, improve the human dimensions and characters, forming its spatial identity, in addition to its role in enhancing social cohesion, participation and citizenship, Rehabilita and activate the urban heritage, integrate them with surrounding places, make them safe, flexible and adapted to change, This will be positively reflected in encouraging of tourism, recreation, creative/ innovative cultural activities, local production, development of the environment/ natural and social capital, increasing financial income, enhancing the properties' cultural values and landscape to achieve prosperity [16].
3) Sustainable spatial development: it is a comprehensive urban development that includes not only the management of the initial resources for the place and its sources, but also the urban structure of the city, the landscape, planning, and the restoration of local heritage, environmentally, economically, culturally and socially [17]. 4) Baker stressed the necessity of activating cultural heritage and restore it as catalyst factor for urban spatial development that depend historical buildings as a cultural source in the sustainable development, within an integrated context with the surroundings, encouraging the preservation to avoid the destruction of historical buildings by rehabilitating the infrastructure within the traditional centers. As well as exploit the values of cultural heritage in the development of tourism as an integrated part of the economic local development, which contribute in creating an exchange relation between the heritage urban restoration and local spatial development projects economically [18]. 5) while "Uddin Khan focused on the restoration of heritage as a tool for cultural continuity, through the preservation of the nonphysical cultural inputs (religious and rituals), that excite nostalgia for the past, and reviews the intellectual values and contents, that affect the Islami urban environment, and in understanding and restoring heritage, the restoration of historical heritage is the mean of expression for the national, Islamic and even ethnic identity, this means is often connected to tourism, especially in building the nation and forming its memory. as in the Blue Mosque / Istanbul. The study also stated that the restoration is not only preserving the historic building forms for future generations; it is a mechanism to transfer ancient traditions, from a conceptual and functional point of view, as in Al-Khulafa Mosque/ Iraq, which constitutes part of defining the originality of peoples and the preservation of their structure and social balance. In turn, this contributes to cultural, social and economic development within the place, as in Sana'a /Yemeni, (Figure 1) [19].  -Spatial development is realized in the light of adopting different patterns from historical buildings as catalysts elements that vary in (intervention patterns, catalytic role, scope of impact, and relationship to the nature of the context) in the achievement of sustainable urban development with its difference value, The restoration of local heritage by the physical and nonphysical values may be a tool for positive change that supports the possibility of making city centers competitive in the growth process, or they could be a tool for continuity of the cultural identity within the process of sustainable urban development [20].
-Guštin et al. deals with the concept of picturesque restoration, as a source of potential energy in the place-making, and a continuous holistic value within the urban development projects, to be an expression about heritage originality in the place, links the importance of local heritage with continuity and temporal succession, (physicaldocumentary) value, an integral part from the daily lives fabric, through preserving the nonphysical cultural material or the physical (the whole historical building or part of it) to promote identity, integrated protection and preservation, ensuring financing for researches and archaeological preservation, and to continue prevent illegal trading of archaeological elements, as well as to increase mutual technical and scientific assistance, encourage sustainable development environmentally, socially and economically. The interpretation of heritage in multicultural societies and enhance cultural education, with wide active participants that involved in defining a particular heritage,) [21].
-The Supreme Commission for the Development of Riyadh City, 2009, focuses on the restoration and development of local heritage, which will contribute to the place tourism sustainable development in particular, and the Arab world in general, with its international, cultural, local and dimensions, and to transform these contexts into a cultural center at the regional level, according to its historical, environmental, cultural and urban characteristics, to make it able to adapt with the scientifically and technological contemporary requirements, though, taking (Al-Diriyah historical and heritage places) as the a main core and axis for cultural and urban development, achieve sustainable spatial development by preserving the environmental and natural components, and promoting the community participation, that creates a sense of belonging and preservation of the place that represents a source of development income for individuals, as well as encouraging private investments to participate in the development programs, through employment and investment to the possibilities of the Valley, put a plan to improve inhabitants cultural awareness, establish a department to supervise the restoration and rehabilitation of urban heritage, and respect the historical changes in a building, place or a heritage city within its context, in a manner that preserves the historic values for the buildings (physicalnonphysical), and the recognition that all buildings and places are the product of its time, so the formal characteristics of traditional environment must be preserved, depending on certified documentary, accurate material and evidence in the transfer and identical copies for the lost elements and architectural features) (Figure 2) [22].  -As for "Mohi El Din & Abu Ghazala was interested in studying the documentation of buildings and places that have historical values, and restoring them, in a way that achieve balances between the architectural preservation and the urban development of the local heritage, based on the nature and the harmony of its components, formating an effectivecenters that integrates with the surrounding, and achieve spatial development through the promotion and restoration of existing opportunities, activities and restoring them, the revival of traditional local crafts, local industries, and involvement of buildings or historical places within a new structure, as well as the revival of symbolic and moral values that are inherently adapted at the formal and functional level, and to enhance the upgrading and rehabilitation policies, that reflects the pagmatic and moral value of the heritage context by the descriptive and informative documentation of the existing situation, and the legislative and institutional framework that include a set of laws and procedures to control the various construction work, funding for the implementation of the approved goals, sustainability to develop mechanisms to restore and maintain historic buildings, enhance the sense of national belonging by protecting and showing the distinctive identity of the old city)] as in the context of Korba in New Cairo, Zamalek and Cairo, [23], Figure 3.

Figure 3: Shows the buildings and places that have historical and heritage value in their distinctive architectural and urban formation, as a direct continuation of the daily activities. It is the source for the development of the sustainable place and its revival in the local opportunities and events. (Source: [23])
Thus, the restoration of local heritage is one of the spatial development strategies directed to the process of sustainable urban growth and development, contribute to the support of physical and non-physical values, which reflect a particular cultural and type of construction, to promote identity and historical continuity, including various roles aims to achieve sustainable spatial development; (Social, economic, cultural, environmental, aesthetic, legal, administrative, and historical), through three approaches; the realistic-integrative, conservative, and iconic. The most important aspects of the theoretical framework for heritage restoration can be summarized in table (1). Strengthen local identity. Revitalize the collective memory and enhance the sense of spatial belonging Support social cohesion. Achieve a better life.

The role of restoration in achieving sustainable spatial development
To achieve the continuity of the place by encouraging mixed use. Creating adaptive, functional and sustainable places. Employ local capital by marketing traditional local products.

Economic role
Promote the originality and cohesion of peoples. Promote communication between past and present Revitalization and development of local heritage. Imagine the place and represent it and reveal its inherent value through folk Tales and Myths.

Cultural role
Preserving environmental and natural components. The connection between the place and its relation to the external location. Environmental self-adaptation to the context. Use local building materials that are compatible with social environmental conditions. Support ecologically balanced investment Promoting biodiversity

Environmental role
Evaluate the environmental impact of heritage context and buildings Develop the local authorities and support the monitoring organizations, of the restoration policy. Establish a department to supervise the restoration of local heritage. Environmental protection, planning, Training community staff to participate in the restoration Provide financial support.

Legal-administrative role
Revitalize buildings of value that reach the past experience of the present Archaeological restoration of historical facades Visual documentation of historical distinctive architectural elements.

Aesthetic role
A reminder of special moments in a particular life, history or culture Transform the neglected archaeological and heritage sites into a cultural center at the national level. Transfer the specifications and privacy of a building to future, preserving its original features. Adaptive reuse of buildings, with distinct architectural style, and good structural condition after internal modifications.

Historical role
Repair and strengthen the historic sites, and replace the damaged of them. To restore the integration and harmony of the heritage center with the new elements, support them as the nodes for city center and activities.

Restoration approaches
Respect the historical building and its originality. Transport, imitation, and simulation of the elements and shapes in the models. Restoration of the memorial -aesthetics elements that enhance the characteristics of monumental buildings. Adapting traditional techniques by adopting international technology locally. The continuity of the relationship between the spaces and the surrounding buildings.

Conservative
Dealing with historical buildings as physical documentary evidence. Iconic Emphasis on homogeneity or contradiction with the cultural features. Preserve the exterior appearance and facades of the heritage buildings.

Analysis The Experience Of Restoration The Local Heritage In The Historical City Of Najaf
Najaf is one of the Iraqi governates, located on the edge of the western plateau, about 161 km, southwest the capital Baghdad. It has religious and historical characteristics, because of the presence of many shrines, Kufa Mosque, Wadi al-Salam (Najaf Cemetery), historical markets, buildings, streets and heritage contexts. Najaf has many form and elements that address people's memories, through the connection with the city's physical contexts, customs, and spiritual traditions and their interaction with the lives of individuals, [24], see Figure 4.

Reasons for choosing the experience of restoration the heritage in Al-Najaf:
• The importance of the city after the registration of the historic Valley of Peace (The Grave) in the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 2010. • The latest projects to restore and rehabilitate the urban fabric of the old city and promote religious، historical and cultural identity • The opportunities in the city center to accommodate tourists and commensurate with the importance and centrality of its role within the city, see Figure 3. The General Directorate of Urban Planning has contracted with (Diwan) to carry out the project of restoration and revival of the old city of Al-Najaf, including the Great Market. The office has presented a number of urban alternatives in order to achieve the following objectives: [24].
• To focus on the locations, symbols, and monuments associated with historical and religious events, which were the cause of the city's emergence, to emphasize the religious identity and its link to the rituals of the visits, and the revival of the old wall of the city.
• Improve the environmental and urban situation, raise the level of social, health services and infrastructure, create spaces and facilities to serve the city's residents and visitors.
• Provide areas and spaces to receive and serve visitors, creating the required balance between achieving this and minimizing intervention on the urban fabric and preserving it.
• Restore heritage or religious buildings within the area, determine the degree and level of intervention for each (conservation, maintenance, restoration, renovation, etc).
• Creating sustainable spaces that respect the values of existence and intrinsic values and bring economic benefits and investments in a way that is appropriate for current and future uses.
• Promote social and cultural harmony, improve the economic situation and create investment opportunities for sustainable development of the region.
• Community participation (residents, social elites, religious leaders) in all decisions and stages of the project planning and executive development.
• Determining the technical, building and construction standards of the new economic and service activities that should be approved in the project .
• The project should concern the style of the traditional architecture and heritage fabric (structural materials, reclining, the height of buildings).
The  As for the restoration of cultural, historical and religious buildings, they have been dealt with by many approached including; (The historical buildings are preserved enhancing their importance by creating an open space to separator them from other buildings. The buildings that were partly damaged, are restored and reconstructed according to the original properties, some buildings can be added that integrated with the existing urban fabric to support the heritage Context, with many commercial and residential investment activities ،the low-value heritage buildings will be reconstructed and restored in the same or different form or style, focusing to revive their moral importance as cultural anthropological values. The restoration of local heritage also included visual and archaeological documentation of the buildings and architectural elements, as well as the contents of the building or place, as in, Figure 6.  The proposal also confirmed the archaeological restoration within the following levels; the main corridors and streets facades, the ruins in the light of retaining the elements of the existing building, strengthening and protecting them from deterioration, finally the restoration and rehabilitation of the building's internal and external elements, to be used as museum or administrative functions), Figure 7 and 8. Previous studies highlight the policy of preserving the local heritage through the strategy of urban restoration to achieve multiple strategic goals that meet the aspirations of the communities and aspirations towards the future, vary in orientation with different values of cultural or historical heritage, and the availability of economic, legislative and executive capabilities, accordingly states provide different and distinct experiences in supporting heritage and its adoption in sustainable development.
2) The importance of the restoration strategy lies in the employment of heritage in spatial development; -Socially, by expressing the meanings that attache the community to the place, support community activities and functions like celebrations, markets, and activities that promote community synergy and social links, strengthening the sense of community identity and a sense of belonging, Involving local people in the process of sustainable development and protection of local culture. -Economically, by encouraging handicrafts, increasing tourist flows, attracting tourism companies, and other aspects that revive economic activity in heritage places. -Aesthetically, through the revival of value buildings, which connects the experience of the past to the present under archaeological restoration for historical facades and visual documentation for architectural elements.
3) The restoration of local heritage has a participatory, interactive and evocative role in the Developing and sustaining the place integratively, as a reference to the city's landmarks, symbols, and identity. Deals with the place throw the past, its connection with the present and its compatibility with the future. Is the most effective means of meeting the social needs by creating buildings full of vitality and making places that respect the experience of the past in making the future? 4) The restoration of local inheritance has a role in the development of basic and unique capital, invested in resource-constrained countries, achieve positive excellence in attract foreign investment and strengthen global competitiveness in the development of the place. 5) Restoration of historic buildings and monuments has an impact on the creation of sustainable sites and the identification of their distinctive urban identity. 6) The restoration of local heritage requires active management and community participation in follow-up, periodic maintenance of the heritage site, as well as financial support, which can be gained by sustainable spatial development. 7) The method of reuse heritage buildings in contemporary function, and preserve their identity, is one of the tributaries of the restoration, a new look at the heritage as a source to show the value, the historical and traditional identity of the place.

Recommendations
1) The necessity of government institutions, civil society and local communities to adopt a policy of activating the indicators of the sustainable development within the heritage context, emphasis on the urban dimensions, by preserving the historical scenes that cannot be replaced, cultural dimensions, contribution to the rehabilitation of the urban communities; intellectually, culturally and artistic dimensions, and the environment embodied in improving the physical environment of the old contexts and buildings.
2) The need to activate community participation and awareness of the importance of local heritage, in addition to the need for experts of heritage development, in order to avoid the new negative activities in historical context, the constructive solidarity between the three sectors of the state; government sector, the private sector, civil organizations. 3) Raise the efficiency of development policies in light of the restoration strategy to preserve heritage buildings and historical places, employ local labor, while encouraging residents to participate in tourism activity to support the local economy. 4) Document heritage vocabulary, extract architectural elements and restore them in the distinctive context, in order to develop and inspire them as a means of preserving architectural identity. 5) Depend on a research programme for heritage contexts dealing with sustainable tourism, potentials, and challenges for upgrading urban heritage context, making heritage place in light of the activation the standards and guidelines as a basis for preserving local heritage.