Abstract

Value integrity is a critical dimension in heritage practice, yet the conflicting nature of values may result in the categorization of positive and negative values, with later being neglected or even erased. The Shanghai old concession heritage has carried complex and conflicting historical backgrounds, while through the process of preservation and management, it has become a rather positive urban space. This study intends to examine the public perception of the positive and negative values associated with the case under its conflicting formation and the prolonged protection courses. A total of 25,588 social media comments were categorized with BERT-driven machine learning method, with further analysis considering the spatial, content and sentiment characteristics of different perceived value types. 

Key findings include: 1) Compared to well perceived positive values, Negative values are less perceived and often excluded from preservation efforts; 2) Positive values focus on historical context, design quality, and contemporary functions, while negative values relate to painful historical events and space decay; 3) Negative heritage values evoke strong negative emotions, particularly in terms of social value; 4) Positive and negative values in some cases can reinforce each other. The paper calls for inclusive heritage discourse, offering a safe space for expressing negative values and emotions. The combination of positive and negative values should be well preserved and perceived through appropriate protection and regeneration strategies, thus contributing to the heritage value integrity concept. These findings provide empirical support for post-conflict management of historical heritage in China and globally.