Typology-mediated adaptive reuse of residential heritage: evidence from a secondary city in Bangladesh

Abstract Residential heritage in rapidly urbanising secondary cities remains poorly integrated into adaptive reuse frameworks, largely because ordinary residential buildings seldom receive the institutional recognition afforded to monuments. This study examines five residential heritage sites in Pabna Municipality, Bangladesh, to investigate how spatial configuration, physical condition, ownership, and governance shape the feasibility of reuse. Using a field survey, typological mapping, temporal satellite analysis, AutoCAD-based documentation, and SCOT evaluation, the paper compares three residential typologies: palatial zamindari compounds, semi-palatial merchant residences, and compact urban houses. The findings show that architectural adaptability alone does not secure reuse potential. Buildings with strong courtyard organisation and structural legibility may remain underused where tenure is unclear. In contrast, modest urban houses are more vulnerable to fragmented proprietorship, restricted access, deterioration, and development pressure. By linking type-based assessment to institutional arrangements and site-specific reuse conditions, the study provides a diagnostic approach to evaluating non-monumental residential heritage in secondary cities, where adaptive reuse is often constrained by institutional fragmentation.