Studio Bagan: Engaging with Cultural Heritage Conservation through Problem-Based Learning across Disciplines

Having long been ignored in terms of its role in sustainable development, cultural heritage was finally recognized in Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals as a target for SDG 11 in 2015. This paper will provide a critical reflection of the framing of cultural heritage in the SDGs and the related indicator, which currently show that UN development agendas have difficulty with concepts as complex and seemingly immeasurable as cultural heritage. This paper will argue that in contexts where architects and planners have no understanding of cultural heritage and its need for people-centered approaches, public or private spending alone will not be sufficient to strengthen its protection. In this context, Studio Bagan will be discussed as a low-cost response to gaps in education. It has been conceptualized as an interdisciplinary conservation studio that fosters applied knowledge transfer in the fields of cultural heritage, urban and regional planning, and designing in historic contexts. While making a contribution to the sustainable conservation of Bagan—one of Myanmar’s flagship tourist destinations—Studio Bagan also illustrates the complexity of cultural heritage and the need for a more nuanced approach to it within the Sustainable Development Agenda.