Heritage Resilience in Tropical Contexts: Recovery, Adaptation and Transformation in Vernacular Architecture: The Cases of Fiji, Bangladesh, Zanzibar and Mozambique

Abstract

Cultural heritage in tropical coastal settlements faces recurrent climatic pressures, yet its resilience depends on more than the survival of built fabric. This article examines how vernacular practices, adaptation strategies, and institutional action shape heritage conservation and resilience in Navala (Fiji), Sandwip (Bangladesh), Stone Town (Zanzibar, Tanzania), and the Island of Mozambique (Mozambique). It combines a critical review of the scholarly literature, technical reports, and institutional documents with a qualitative comparison across eight analytical dimensions. GIS maps represent each settlement’s territorial configuration and principal environmental exposures. The evidence is interpreted through three interrelated modes of resilience: recovery, adaptation, and transformation. In Navala and Sandwip, documented practices emphasize repairable construction, collective labor, and the restoration of everyday life. In Stone Town and the Island of Mozambique, material compatibility, incremental conservation, and institutional coordination feature more prominently. Across the cases, the effectiveness of these responses depends on the continuity of social networks, recognition of local building cultures, and compatibility of change with heritage values. The comparison suggests that heritage resilience emerges from the interplay of material properties, building cultures, and social, cultural, environmental, and institutional processes, with their relative importance varying by context.