MEMORY-ORIENTED URBAN REGENERATION: A CASE OF THE BLOCK #1 OF BAGA TOIRUU (ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA)

In the era of rapid urbanization and globalization, the preservation of cultural and historical heritage is a great challenge, and the concept of memory-oriented urban regeneration is gaining ground because historic districts are a collective memory that contains the essence of people's memory, culture, and historical identity. The Baga Toiruu Historical Block 1, a living repository of Ulaanbaatar city's history, epitomizes this challenge. As urban development endeavors to rejuvenate this district, the delicate transfer of old memories into the regeneration process becomes paramount. In this study, a place narrative approach will be employed to highlight the buildings, spaces, and historical events within Baga Toiruu Block 1 that hold historical memories. This approach aims to unveil a comprehensive regeneration project designed to recover the concealed, overlooked, and absent historical memory of the area. In Mongolia, a project or study focused on regenerating the abundant local history and cultural heritage through spatial narrative, with the aim of preserving it and preventing its gradual fading into obscurity, has not previously been undertaken. Therefore, this research endeavor unquestionably stands as pioneering foundational research in this domain.