By protecting and promoting our heritage in the process of development, Yangon is uniquely poised to become one of the most vibrant and attractive modern cities in Southeast Asia. The preservation of Yangon’s pre-1960 buildings should not be seen in isolation but as part of a broader urban planning effort. The combination of inherited laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to tenancy, taxes and rents directly affect the physical condition of the city’s built heritage. Current economic conditions and incentives may only lead to the further impoverishment of the area. Simply adding a preservation agenda will not be sufficient. Yangon needs a broad vision that finds the right balance of preservation and new development, properly planning for the reuse of government land and property (including and especially the waterfront) and puts in place the appropriate mix of market incentives. Getting the downtown economy and real estate market right is critical to long-term preservation aims.

Projects