Hull East Bank, UK
Question Heritage
Can Progress and Heritage Grow Together?
Developing my graduation project meant visiting Hull's waterfront five times and speaking with local residents, business owners and visitors. Those conversations gradually shifted my focus from flood infrastructure to something much broader: the relationship between memory, identity and adaptation.
Growing up in Xiamen, I witnessed rapid urbanisation transform coastal communities. Historic neighbourhoods disappeared, traditional fishing cultures faded and redevelopment often prioritised efficiency over continuity.
In Hull, I experienced a different approach. Historic structures remained part of everyday life rather than becoming isolated monuments. Heritage was not frozen in time—it continued to support new uses while preserving local identity.
This contrast reshaped my understanding of sustainability.
True resilience is not only about preparing for climate change. It is also about ensuring that cultural memory survives alongside future development.
The strongest communities don't choose between heritage and progress
they allow them to grow together.