The role of landscape, memory and identity as a basis for sense of place and intangible values in the concept of historic urban landscapes.

Ref.: 268
Key theme: 03 Visual integrity of historic urban landscapes
Date of reception: 20/11/2008

AUTHORS (*Main author)

TAYLOR, Ken * (Australia) - The Australian National University

ABSTRACT

One of our deepest needs is for a sense of identity and belonging. A common denominator in this is human attachment to landscape and how we find identity in landscape and place. Landscape therefore is not simply what we see, but a way of seeing : we see it with our eye but interpret it with our mind and ascribe values to landscape for both tangible and intangible ­ spiritual ­ reasons. This concept of landscape, memory and identity has been well explored in the field of cultural landscapes, including within UNESCO World Heritage categories of cultural landscape, but until recently limited attention has been given to urban settings.

This paper, therefore, will critically examine how the concept can transfer to the developing idea and framework of historic urban landscapes as a specialist type of cultural landscape and what is meant by `cultural landscape' in this context. How do intangible values and genius loci manifest themselves in the wider urban landscape setting given that much of what we understand by urban settings is inclusive of the vernacular? One fundamental aspect of understanding landscape is the act of reading the landscape under the headings of what/when/where have things occurred, who has been involved and why have people created such places? How do or can we read the urban landscape and its historic context. Some reference as an example will be made to the values of Canberra, the capital of Australia, as a remarkable 20th century planning achievement and its symbolism as the city in the landscape par excellence and why it is has not captured the support and imagination of government in Australia for potential World Heritage listing alongside examples like Chandigarh, Le Havre, Tel Aviv and Brasilia. As part of this case example the paper will show how new high rise buildings in the centre of the city are compromising the city's landscape setting in its amphitheatre hills as views of the hills are blocked and how the city is in danger of losing its historic integrity of `a city not like any other' to quote Walter Burley Griffin's words on his winning design in 1912 in the international competition for the design of the city.

REFERENCES

Cosgrove, D, (1984), Social Formation and Symbolic Landscape; Croom Helm, London and Sydney; p.1

-Meinig D,ed., (1979), The Interpretation of Ordinary Landscapes. Geographical Essays, `Introduction' pp. 1-3, Oxford University Press, New York.

- (I) Taylor K, (2006), Canberra: City in the Landscape, Halstead Press, Ultimo, Sydney.
(II) Taylor K, (2000), `The Canberra Plan: a candidate for World Heritage Listing, Historic Environment, 14:5; 79-84