ECONOMICS UNIQUENESS

272 ■ THE ECONOMICS OF UNIQUENESS
indicators, and maps selected for the analysis. It provides elements for the evaluation
and assessment process. Th e fi gure indicates each stakeholder’s own perspective
on the project, as visualized by its geographic display.
Mapping provides elements toward the interpretation of heritage-related
economics. It provides additional data, and may assist in identifying features
critical to historic conservation. It determines the relative contribution of categories
of economic values to the city’s growth and welfare. One interesting
feature of map analysis is the possibility it off ers to detect imbalances of economic
benefi ts within a given historic city core. Th ematic maps, as economic
landscape maps for aggregate economic values and can identify imbalances of
categories of economic values across the historic city core. Th ose imbalances
between use and non-use values, between direct and indirect use values, and
between economic values and conservation costs are representative of inequity
between heritage stakeholders. Imbalances in spatial distribution of economic
values reveal how the existing maintenance and use conditions of the
heritage stock, or heritage conservation, bring benefi ts to some stakeholders
and costs to others.
Th e purpose is to provide city authorities with development schemes of heritage
economics, off ering key references to decision makers to prevent or to correct
value imbalances within the historic city core. Accordingly, the mapping of
heritage economics becomes a tool for urban and land-use planning. By enhancing
urban spatial functions, it contributes to preserving the economic value that
makes the heritage a sustainable cultural asset.
Key possible fi ndings of mapping schemes are the following:
• Absence of or few non-use values. Th e awareness of cultural values for the heritage
is dim, or not revealed within the preferences of people. Th is does not
mean that the heritage does not carry architectural value, or does not comply
with criteria such as integrity or authenticity. Th is situation denotes that
the citizenry does not really care about the continued existence of the city’s
heritage, or would not be willing to pay to preserve the option of visiting it at
some time, while the city may not be regarded as possessing signifi cant cultural
heritage. Given the lack of non-marketable benefi ts, the economic value
of the heritage is potentially low.
Map analysis may reveal an extended lack of non-use values, or a focus of
non-use values around a single outstanding building or monument or a compound
of them. Th is is typical for cities that have preserved their heritage as
isolated objects, but failed to develop an integrated approach to their historic
core. So far, heritage economics has mostly focused on individual buildings
or monuments.
• Scarce or few use values found. Spatial analysis may confi rm that cultural
and economic values go hand in hand in the historic city core. Residents