Adaptive Reuse Strategies in Historic Hotel Renovation: A Case Study of The Grand Heritage Hotel

Thesis Abstract

The preservation and adaptive reuse of historic hotel buildings present critical urban sustainability concerns amidst rising urban development pressures and global heritage conservation imperatives. This study investigates the strategic approaches underpinning the renovation of such structures, focusing explicitly on The Grand Heritage Hotel, a landmark built in 1925 in the city center, which faces challenges balancing heritage preservation with contemporary operational demands. The primary aim is to identify effective adaptive reuse strategies that optimize historical integrity while enhancing functional and economic performance. The research objectives include examining the architectural, structural, and contextual factors influencing renovation decisions, evaluating stakeholder perceptions, and developing a comprehensive framework for sustainable adaptive reuse practices in historic hotels. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research draws from a purposive sample of key stakeholders, including architects, conservation specialists, hotel management, local authorities, and heritage consultants, totaling 30 participants. Data collection instruments comprise semi-structured interviews, archival document analysis, and observation checklists, ensuring triangulation for validity and reliability. Thematic analysis, guided by grounded theory principles, will be employed to interpret qualitative data, complemented by descriptive statistics and frequency distributions to analyze stakeholder responses. The expected findings are to reveal that successful adaptive reuse of historic hotels hinges on integrated planning approaches informed by conservation principles and innovative architectural interventions. It is anticipated that innovative design strategies—such as adaptive structural reinforcements, façade conservation techniques, and functional interior transformations—positively influence stakeholder acceptance and operational viability. The study also expects to identify key barriers, including regulatory constraints, funding limitations, and conflicting heritage standards, which can be mitigated through strategic policy adjustments and collaborative planning frameworks. The research will generate a conceptual model illustrating the interplay between heritage preservation and contemporary hotel functionality, thus contributing to theoretical discourse on adaptive reuse, particularly through integrating frameworks like the Typology of Adaptive Reuse and the Sustainable Heritage Conservation Theory. This study advances existing knowledge by providing empirically grounded, practical strategies tailored to historic hotels in urban settings, filling identified gaps in empirical data on stakeholder perspectives and strategic implementation frameworks specific to heritage hotel renovations. The contributions include a contextually sensitive, actionable set of guidelines for architects, conservationists, and policymakers aiming to revitalize historic hotels while safeguarding their cultural significance. The findings will demonstrate that adaptive reuse, when meticulously planned and stakeholder-inclusive, can serve as a catalyst for sustainable urban development and heritage conservation. The main conclusion underscores the necessity of multidimensional strategies—balancing architectural fidelity with adaptive innovation—to ensure the longevity and socio-economic viability of historic hotels. Recommendations call for the development of integrated policy frameworks, capacity-building for conservation practitioners, and fostering multi-stakeholder collaborations. Further research avenues proposed include comparative studies across different geographic regions and quantitative assessments of economic returns from adaptive reuse projects. Overall, this research offers significant insights into optimizing the adaptive reuse process in historic hotel contexts, thereby contributing to both scholarly understanding and pragmatic heritage preservation practices.