LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES

Cultural tourism. Historic district

delineation. Preservation.

Restoration. WorksCulture preserved in landscape.

Santa-Fe. Mexico. Santa Barbara. New Orleans.

Williamsburg's garden.

Works of Mohammed Shaheer.

Humayuns tomb.

Bagh-i-wafa.

Bara mullah restoration.

Cultural landscapes are at the interface between nature

and culture. They represent the permanent interaction

between humans and their environment, shaping the surface

of the earth. With the rapid social and economic

development cultural landscapes belong to the most fragile

and threatened sites on earth. Adapted protection and

proper management is urgently needed (von Droste,

Plachter, and Rssler 1995).

WHAT ARE CULTURAL LANDSCAPES?

Defined as a diversity of manifestations of the interaction between humankind and its natural environment. (in 1992-world heritage committee @ the world heritage convention adopted in 1972)

By this definition, a cultural landscape is created through the interrelationship of culture and nature, which shapes environments over time and results in landscapes of today.

DIVERSITY OF CULTURAL LANDSCAPES ACROSS THE WORLD

Cultural landscapes across the world were broadly categorised into 3:

Category 1 clearly defined landscape designed and created intentionally by man

Largely concentrates on parks and gardens

Category 2 the organically evolved landscape

reflects that process of evolution of cultural factors in association with the natural environment over time in their form and component features

A relict (or fossil) landscape (such as an archaeological landscape) A continuing landscape (retains active social role in contemporary society closely associated with

traditional way of life-evolutionary process still in progress)

Category 3 associative cultural landscape

derives its significance from the powerful religious, artistic or cultural associations of the natural element rather than material cultural evidence, which may be insignificant or even absent

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

A cultural landscape perspective explicitly recognizes the history of a place and its cultural traditions in addition to its ecological value. Thus, this approach is appropriate for places with a settlement history.

A landscape perspective also recognizes the continuity between the past and with people living and working on the land today. It explores how sense of place, cultural identity, and connections to the past can become touchstones for deepening and broadening the impact and relevance of conservation

Today, the field of natural resource conservation recognizes an ecosystem approach and the importance of working with people, their knowledge of the local ecology, and their cultural traditions in developing conservation strategies.

These concurrent developments in cultural and natural conservation have set the stage for a rethinking of landscape conservation and an unprecedented opportunity for collaboration.

INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL TOURISM

Tourism, by denition, involves a journey, a passage through time, space and through a diversity of cultures, peoples and pasts

Cultural and natural heritage attracts many tourists, and is a resource for development, fortunately, distributed throughout the world, thus providing an additional opportunity for many non-industrialized countries.

Raising awareness, educating and training the staff concerned, is essential in involving communities in the process of conserving and enhancing their heritage.

It is the involvement of all that will enable the heritage of humanity to be better preserved, living conditions to be improved and poverty reduced.

Preserving cultural and natural heritage, to bring it within reach of all, making cultures and civilizations better known, improving daily living conditions and reducing poverty, is what gives meaning to the sustainability of tourism development

ROLE OF TOURISM IN CULTURAL EXPRESSION

The negative impacts of tourism are, by no means, inevitable. Tourism can have positive and lasting effects on our cultural and natural heritage, on creativity and cultural diversity, and on the environment and balance of societies.

It is seen that there is a clear role for tourism in the process of expressing culture and cultural difference.

Mounir Bouchenaki, General Vice Director for Culture at the UNESCO, (In his intervention at the Barcelona 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures) emphasised the role of tourism to enable spaces for

all cultures to express themselves and make themselves known, and hence to achieve a form of intercultural dialogue leading to peace and facilitating sustainable development(UNESCO 2004).

He further stressed that without tourism, cultural diversity is not lived, experienced or felt through aesthetic emotions and a comprehension of values it contains and expresses.

CULTURE --- TOURISM INTER-RELATIONSHIPS

Culture heritage and diversity as tourism resources

Cultural tourism as a form of economic development

Tourism as a vehicle for intercultural dialogue cross cultural understanding & peace

Tourism and environmental protection

Preservation and mobilisation of cultural resources

Economic empowerment and poverty alleviation

Mobilising nature for sustainable tourism

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HISTORIC DISTRICT DELINEATIONHistoric preservation is now an integral component of community planning. However, in the United States interest in preserving historic resources was slow to evolve.

One of the first preservation efforts in the country was to save Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States were signed.

1816: a proposal was made to subdivide the site into parcels for sale(despite the sites historic significance)

After a number of historical associations appealed, the city bought the structure and kept it from the hands of private developers.

Similarly, when local residents requested Congress to provide funding to preserve George Washingtons deteriorating home, Mount Vernon, Congress refused to allocate any money

1853 : the Mount Vernon Ladies Association was founded (to save the homestead) through private efforts.

The Association was the first preservation organization in the country and served as a model for other organizations involved in saving threatened landmark structures.

Early twentieth century - Americans had begun to take a concerted interest in protecting natural features

1916: the National Park Service (NPS) was created in the U.S. Department of the Interior to establish federal parklands and eventually was given responsibility to administer programs to protect historic structures.

1931 : First historic district-Charleston, South Carolina,

1936 : Second historic district-Vieux Carr (old French Quarter) of New Orleans

Charleston and New Orleans became prototypes for other historic districts: in San Antonio, Texas (1939); Alexandria, Virginia (1946); Williamsburg, Virginia (1947); Winston-Salem, North Carolina (1948); and Washington, D.C. (1950).

1949: The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nongovernmental organization represents

all segments of the preservation movement, both public and private.

1966 : National Historic Preservation Act (the most important historic preservation legislation) was passed

Historic districts also promote the character and image of a community.

Rehabilitated buildings encourage diversity in economic levels, race,

occupations, and education levels by allowing for a range of building

opportunities. Historic neighbourhoods are usually walkable areas where

interaction among businesses, visitors, and residents takes place, forging

a stronger neighbourhood identity and a more cohesive community

structure.

"Historic preservation has become a

fundamental tool for strengthening

American communities. It has proven to

be an effective tool for a wide range of

public goals including small business

incubation, affordable housing,

sustainable development, neighbourhood

stabilization, centre city revitalization,

job creation, promotion of the arts and

culture, small town renewal, heritage

tourism, economic development, and

others."

Donovan Rypkema, Measuring economic impacts of historic preservation, 2011

Preservation is not about longing for the past or resisting progress. Its

about building on the past toward the future.

Preserved historic character can boost a local economy, attracting

tourists who tend to stay longer and spend more money. Most important,

designation gives protection to a communitys heritage and promotes a

better image and pride for its residents. In many communities there is

little integration between preservation efforts and the comprehensive

plan. Too often, historic preservation plans are prepared by

preservationists, and comprehensive plans by local planners, each with

little awareness of the activities of the other. Local planners need to

better integrate the two activities.

HISTORIC DISTRICT DELINEATION & PRESERVATION WHAT IS IT?

In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and siteswithin a historic district are normally divided into two categories, contributing and non-contributing. Districts greatly vary in size.

The U.S. federal government designates historic districts through the United States Department of Interior under the auspices of the National Park Service.

Federally designated historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but listing imposes no restrictions on what property owners may do with a designated property.

State-level historic districts may follow similar criteria (no restrictions) or may require adherence to certain historic rehabilitation standards.

Local historic district designation offers, by far, the most legal protection for historic properties because most land use decisions are made at the local level. Local districts are generally administered by the county or municipal government.

Historic districts are generally two types of properties, contributing and non-contributing.

A contributing property is any property, structure or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make a historic district, listed locally or federally, significant.

Different entities, usually governmental, at both the state and national level in the United States, have differing definitions of contributing property but they all retain the same basic characteristics.

In general, contributing properties are integral parts of the historic context and character of a historic district.

In addition to the two types of classification within historic districts, properties listed on the National Register of HistoricPlaces are classified into five broad categories.

They are, building, structure, site, district and object; each one has a specific definition in relation to the National Register.

HISTORIC DISTRICT DELINEATION & PRESERVATION MORE WHAT IS IT?

SITE INTEGRITY SEVEN QUALITIES

A property must possess integrity in order to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Decisions about historic integrity require professional judgments about whether a property today reflects the spatial organization, physical components and historic associations that it attained during the periods of significance. A property's periods of significance become the benchmark for measuring whether subsequent changes contribute to its historic evolution or alter its historic integrity.

Historic integrity requires that the various characteristics that shaped the land during the historic period be present today in much the same way they were historically. .. The general character and feeling of the historic period . . must be retained for eligibility (McClelland et al. 1999:21).

The seven qualities are:

LocationDesignSettingMaterialsWorkmanshipFeelingAssociation

SAN LUIS OBISPO AREA, CA

Legend

Downtown

Old Town

China Town

Mill Street

Rail Road

San Luis Obispo has a number of historic sites/buildings

and a number of guidelines have been formulated to restrict

new construction so as to ensure that it conforms to the Historic

Preservation act.

Shown below are some examples of the architectural control

measures undertaken in the historic districts (next slide)

IMAGE GALLERY

ACOMA PUEBLO , NEW MEXICOAcoma Pueblo is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a

valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths.(Since 1150 A.D)

It has earned the reputation as the oldest continuously inhabited

community in North America. The mesa-top settlement is known worldwide

for its unique art and rich culture.

A federally recognized Indian Tribe, Acoma Pueblo has a land base

covering 431,664 acres and is home to 4,800 tribal members with more

than 250 dwellings, none of which have electricity, sewer, or water.

In 1629, construction began on the massive San Esteban del Rey Mission,

a Catholic mission. Both the Mission and the Pueblo are Registered

National Historical Landmarks and are on the National Register of

Historic Places.

Acoma Pueblo was named the 28th Historic Site by the National Trust for

Historic Preservation (NTHP) in 2007 and is the only Native American site

to be designated.

WILLIAMSBURG GARDENEarly 1700s : Originally laid out by Lieutenant Governor Francis Nicholson

20th century: restoration of the town centre supported by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

1927 : more than 600 non-period buildings were demolished, 100 restored, and 350 reconstructed in the Georgian style, including the Wren building and the Old College Yard of the College of William and Mary.

1928-1941 : Arthur Shurcliff oversaw Williamsburgs gardens, landscape, and town planning, with his deputy Alden Hopkins assuming responsibility when Shurcliff retired.

The Colonial Revival gardens were inspired by the Anglo-Dutch style popular in the colonial period but are more decorative and formal than the original gardens would have been.

Consistent among the gardens is the use of evergreen shrubs, particularly boxwood, and paving in either a more formal basket weave pattern or functional brickbat paving that uses broken bricks.

All lots are surrounded by 4.5-foot fences, which were required by colonial law to protect from free-roaming cattle. The extensive Governors Palace gardens were restored using a 1739 engraving known as the Bodleian Plate.

Using conservation easements and large land purchases, Colonial Williamsburg has sought to preserve views and keep the arrival experience as non-commercial as possible. With a historic area of 301 acres, Colonial Williamsburg was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960.

1 Dr.Barraud House

2 Bassett Hall

3 John Blair House

4 Bracken Tenement

5 Bryan House

6 Christiana Campbells Tavern

13 James Geddy House

14 Governers Palace

15 Orlando Jones House

16 Kings Arms Tavern

17 David Morton House

18 Palmer House

19 Pasteur & Galt Apothecary

LEGEND

7 Elizabeth Carlos House

8 Coke-Garrett House

9 The Colonial Garden and Nursery

10 Alexander Craig House

11 Custis Tenement

12 Thomas Everard House

20 Benjamin Powell House

21 Prentis House

22 Alexander Purdie

23 George Reid House

24 Taliaferro-Cole House

25 Wetherburns Tavern

26 George Wythe House

The Map of Williamsburg Gardens

Ballroom Garden Custis Tenement Garden Governors Palace

Aerial view of the governors palacepanoramic view of the flower borders (North Garden , Ballroom Garden & Governors Palace in the background)

IMAGE GALLERY

Elkanah Deane House Garden

Orlando Jones House

North GardenJames Shields Tavern Garden

John Blair house herb garden

SANSKRITI KALA KENDRA, ANANDGRAM

Char-bagh in courtyard

Of terracotta museum

Water bodies as kunds and ghats

Groves of champa trees

Kund court

The Banyan square

Courtyard within

terracotta museum

Workspaces adjoining

terracotta terrace

Terracotta terrace

Bankura horses on terracotta terrace

Open air theatre

Edge of water landscape

Urlis at various thresholds

Banyan tree as sculpture

Water landscape as artWater landscape of the ghats

INTRODUCTION

The first privately funded restoration of a World Heritage Site in

India was completed in March 2003 through the joint efforts of the

Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the Archaeological Survey of

India (ASI), under the aegis of the National Culture Fund.

The objective of the project was to revitalise the gardens, pathways,

fountains and water channels of the chahr-bgh, or four-part

paradise garden surrounding Humayuns Tomb in Delhi, according to

the original plans of the builders.

The preservation of historic gardens requires close attention to the

living and renewable landscape elements. Currently a management

plan is underway for the long-term sustainability of the enhanced site.

THE REVITALISATION OF THE

GARDENS OF HUMAYUNS TOMB, DELHI

INTRODUCTION OF THE RESTORATION PROJECT

The gardens are laid out in classical chahr-bgh pattern. They are divided into quarters by raised causeways. The quadrants are divided, in turn, into eight plots, each with walkways. At the intersection of these walkways are octagonal or rectangular pools

Site works encompassed a variety of disciplines, including

archaeological excavation, the application of conservation science

and hydraulic engineering.

The projects implementation phase began when the Trust began

work on the 12 hectare (30 acre) garden site in 2000.

Working under the aegis of the National Culture Fund and in

collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Trust

undertook the first privately funded restoration of a World

Heritage Site in India.

Landscape architect Mohammed Shaheer played a major role in the

restoration project

Work was completed in March 2003.

DETAILS OF THE RESTORATION PROJECT

The US$ 650,000 restoration project has featured:

Removal of 3,000 truckloads of earth (12,000 cubic metres)

Planting of 12 hectares (30 acres) of lawn

Re-setting and alignment of over 3,500 kilometres of path kerbstones

Preparation by some 60 stonecutters of 3,000 metres of hand dressed red sandstone slabs (to edge the channels)

Creation of 128 ground-water recharge pits and the de-silting and creation of other wells as part of the largest rainwater-harvesting system scheme in any heritage site in India

Creation of a site exhibition

Planning and installation of a new water-circulation system for the walkway channels

Planting of 2,500 trees and plants, including mango, lemon, neem, hibiscus and jasmine cuttings, according to Mughal texts

Repair of fountains, wells and rainwater-harvesting systems

Provision of wheelchair access to a significant part of the site

A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH

Excavations

&

Archival research

Benches

Wells

Octagonal platform

Wall mosque

Craftsmanship

Earth removal

&

Pathway repair

Wheelchair access

Childrens workshops

Planting

Illumination

Documentation

PROJECT SUMMARYThe rehabilitation project included the following main elements:

Reinstating the walkways and conserving the edging stones

Repair, extension and reactivation of the irrigation system

Establishing water sources for the water channels and irrigation system, including a pump station for a water-recycling system

Conserving, repairing and rebuilding the water channel system

Re-levelling the planted zones and revitalising them with species and arrangements that conform to the customs and patterns of Mughal sources

Support for research that informs the conservation and restoration process, contributes to the development of educational materials for use in schools of architecture, conservation and heritage management, as well as for

visitors to the Tomb.

HUMAYUNS

TOMB

RESTORATION

In the latter years of the 20th century, the Humayuns Tomb site

suffered from a condition that had befallen many World

Heritage Sites.

Its gardens were worn, its masonry cracked, and the stonework

broken or incomplete, the ruinous appearance resulting in few

visitors to the site.

The competition for resources made restoration of cultural sites

an unpalatable position for many authorities. The challenge,

therefore, was to find ways for cultural sites many of great

beauty and tourist interest to sustain themselves.

Around the same time, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture set out to

prove that heritage sites could not only sustain themselves, but

could become catalysts for the revitalisation of historic districts

In India, AKTC began by restoring the gardens of Humayuns

Tomb, as a gift to India by His Highness the Aga Khan on the

occasion of the 50th anniversary of independence.

Following the completed garden restoration in 2004, AKTC

expanded its activities to encompass an urban renewal project

that comprises the adjoining areas of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti,

Sundar Nursery and the Humayuns Tomb complex.

The conservation works thus aimed at restoring the architectural

integrity and the original Mughal splendour by using traditional

building craft skills of masons, plasterers, stone carvers, and tile

makers all of whom would be working with the traditional

materials. In view of the scale of work to be carried out and with

a major departure from a preserve as found approach, a

Conservation Plan detailing the all proposed works was peer-

reviewed at the outset by international experts.

At the centre of the project is Humayuns Tomb, built in the

1560s to a far grander scale than any other earlier tomb in the

Islamic world, which was the precursor of the famed Taj Mahal.

Once, Humayuns Tomb stood in isolation on the outskirts of the

city, but today is surrounded by the city.

It continues to be an auspicious place because the Mughal

builders chose to build Humayuns Tomb at this site owing to its

close proximity to the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

Several other garden-tombs were built abutting Humayuns Tomb

in the 16th century, including seven within Sundar Nursery