Cultural sustainability in a Thai City: Perspectives of urban residents on the preservation of vernacular wooden houses in Chiang Mai

The maintenance of vernacular residential housing can be leveraged to strengthen links between sustainable urban development and cultural heritage preservation. Thailand is known for its rich vernacular wooden architecture, but privately owned vernacular housing is quickly disappearing. Continued preservation through use of these houses depends on the varying perceptions of residents and how different factors intertwine at the family and neighborhood levels. Besides other stakeholders, residents can play an important role as housing custodians and advocates of cultural preservation. Therefore, this study explores subjective views on the preservation of vernacular wooden houses among residents of Chiang Mai (Thailand). We apply the concept of cultural sustainability within the framework of a Q Methodology to derive four perspectives, based on which we outline recommendations for policy and practice. We suggest a combination of area-based approaches and measures that focus on individual buildings, as well as regulatory measures combined with participatory and advocacy approaches.