ISSN: 2717-4417

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of urban planning, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.

2 Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.34785/J011.2019.820

Abstract

Abstract
Lack of attention to the “dynamic” concept of the landscape, the “holistic” approach to it, and the use of conventional methods in the study of urban development projects has shaped an urban landscape that is unable to meet the demands of its inhabitants over time. Therefore, considering the ineffectiveness and divergence of the study method in the urban development plans of Iran and given the variability of today’s city, it is necessary to adopt an appropriate approach to today’s urban conditions. Landscape Urbanism theory, with a general approach to the concept of landscape and accepting the uncertainty of the evolving city, has raised a new field in the global literature. This theory, with an approach to confronting the complexities of the contemporary city, sees the “landscape” as an active phenomenon over time and emphasizes functional dimensions beyond its purely aesthetic aspects.
At present, there are criticisms about putting the theoretical aspects of this approach to practice. Since the highest application of this theory is in the field of landscape architecture, most of its criticisms relate to the field of urbanism knowledge, the application of its theoretical framework to the city scale and the lack of executive instances. In this regard, the correct understanding and analysis of the theoretical issues of urban planning and its adaptation to the concept of sustainability, as a basis for thinking, can reveal its hidden dimensions. It is clear that further research on the application of this theory, along with the formulation of design principles, is an important factor in reducing the gap between theory and practice, solving structural problems and identifying the potential of this new approach to urban planning.
The purpose of this research is to describe the theoretical framework of “landscape urbanism” theory as a new approach in urban design that aims at achieving a sustainable landscape. This study tries to emphasize the “procedure” and “substantive” dimensions in the design of sustainable urban landscape while developing the theoretical framework of this approach based on sustainability concepts. In this regard, the present paper seeks to confirm the following statements:
- Understanding the dynamic concept of landscape and its “holistic approach” in today’s urban conditions leads to the formation of a landscape that can be “sustained” on a time scale.
- The “stability” of the city’s main structure, along with the “flexibility” of open urban areas and urban neighborhoods against the changing conditions and needs of the community, can provide the ground for the formation of a sustainable landscape in the present situation.
- The approach of “landscape urbanism”, as an efficient approach in the studies of urban development projects in Iran, in addition to “substantive dimensions”, needs a “infrastructure” for realizing its theoretical framework in the field of action.
Based on the results of the research, the concept of sustainability in the theory of landscape urbanism includes the “stability” of the main structure of the city and the “change” of activities and programs proportionate to the changing conditions over time. Thus, the theoretical framework of landscape urbanization, with the features of “uncertainty” and “change”, can be used to design “open spaces” within and around the city as well as “urban neighborhoods” that are more “adaptable” and “flexible”. In this regard, the emphasis is on participatory planning from the bottom up, the design of the process-oriented with an integrated approach from regional to local scale in the urban landscape, and on the local identity.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Ahern, J. (2013). Urban landscape sustainability and resilience: the promise and challenges of integrating ecology with urban planning and design. Landscape Ecology, 28(6), 1203–1212. doi:10.1007/s10980-012-9799-z
Allen, S. (1997). From Object to Field. Architectural Design, 67, 24-31.
Allen, S. (2001). Mat Urbanism: The Thick 2-D. In H. Sarkis (Ed.), CASE: Le Corbusier’s Venice Hospital and the Mat Building Revival, (pp. 118-126). Munich: Prestel Publishing.
Aminzadeh, B. (2015). Values in Urban Landscape Design: Sustainability, aesthetics, identity. Tehran, Iran: University of Tehran Press. [in Persian]
Andersson, T. (2010). Landscape Urbanism versus Landscape Design The potential of design must not be neglected. Topos: European Landscape Magazine, 71, 80-83.
Assargård, H. (2011). Landscape Urbanism- From a methodological perspective and a conceptual framework. (Master Master Thesis), University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala: Swedish. Retrieved from https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/2387/1/assargard_h_110325.pdf 
Bahrainy, H., Bolooki, B., & Taghabon, S. (2009). Analysis of Contemporary Urban Design Theories. Tehran, Iran: University of Tehran Press. [in Persian]
Bahrainy, H., & Hosseini Vahdat, k. (2014). Spontaneous and Purposeful Shaping of Cities in the Modern and Postmodern Paradigms. Enviromental Studies, 40(3), 541–558. doi:10.22059/JES.2014.52204 [in Persian]
Bahrainy, H., & Maknoon, R. (2001). Sustainable development: From Ideas to Actions. Enviromental Studies, 27(27), 41–60. [in Persian]
Bahrainy, H., & Valad Khani, H. (2018). Urban Village: A Sustainable Settlement Pattern. Tehran, Iran: University of Tehran Press. [in Persian]
Brown, L. J., Dixon, D., & Gillham, O. (2011). Urban Design for an Urban Century: Placemaking for People (H.Bahrainy, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: University of Tehran Press. [in Persian]
Burga, H. F. (2008). RIVER+CITY+LIFE: A Guide to Renewing Toronto’s Lower Don Lands. Places (College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley), 20(3), 18-23.
Campbell, S. (1996). Green Cities, Growing Cities, Just Cities?: Urban Planning and the Contradictions of Sustainable Development. Journal of the American Planning Association, 62(3), 296-312. doi:10.1080/01944369608975696
Corner, J. (1999). Eidetic Operations and New Landscapes. In J. Corner (Ed.), Recovering Landscape: Essays in Contemporary Landscape Architecture (pp. 153-170). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Corner, J. (2003). Landscape Urbanism. In M. Mostafavi & C. Najle (Eds.), Landscape Urbanism: a manual for machinic landscape (pp. 50-62). London: Architectural Association.
Corner, J. (2006). Terra Fluxus. In C. Waldheim (Ed.), The Landscape Urbanism Reader (pp. 21-33). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Duany, A., & Talen, E. (2013). Looking Backward: Notes on a Cultural Episode. In A. Duany & E. Talen (Eds.), Landscape Urbanism and its Discontents: Dissimulating the Sustainable City (pp. 1-15). Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers.
Golkar, K. (2008). Conceptual Evolution of  Urban Visual Environment; from Cosmetic Approach Through to Sustainable Approach. Environmental Sciences, 5(4), 95-113. [in Persian]
Golkar, K. (2011). Creating Sustainable Place, Reflections on Urban Design Theory. Tehran, Iran: Shahid Beheshti University Press. [in Persian]
Gray, C. D. (2006). From Emergence to Divergence: Modes of Landscape Urbanism. (Master Master Thesis), Edinburgh College of Art. School of Architecture, Scottland. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=oR56oAEACAAJ 
Harvey, D. (1989). The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change. (A. A. M. (2011), Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Pejvak Press. [in Persian]
Heins, M. (2015). Finding Common Ground Between New Urbanism and Landscape Urbanism. Journal of Urban Design, 20(3), 293-302. doi:10.1080/13574809.2015.1031002
Hill, K., & Larsen, L. (2013). Adaptive Urbanism. In A. Duany & E. Talen (Eds.), Landscape Urbanism and its Discontents. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers.
Iman, M. T., & Reza, N. M. (2011). Qualitative content analysis. Pazhuhesh, 3(2), 15-44. [in Persian]
Irani Behbahani, H., & Razi Moftakhar, N. (2005). Sustainable design of Sheykh Tappe Park of Orumiyeh. Enviromental Studies, 31(37), 89–104. [in Persian]
Krizek, K. J., & Power, J. (1996). A Planner Guide To Sustainable Development (M. B. K. H. (2010), Trans.). Tabriz, Iran: Mehr e Iman Press. [in Persian]
Lee, T.-Y. (2008). Outlining the Indeterminate Emergence:Landscape as a Framework in Contemporary Urbanism. (Master Master Thesis), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusett.  
Lindholm, G. (2008). Landscape urbanism–large-scale architecture, ecological urban planning or a designerly research policy. Retrieved from Alnarp, Sweden: http://tintin.arch.chalmers.se/aktuellt/PDFs/Lindholm_Landscape%20Urbanism.pdf.
Lynch, K. (2005). A Theory of City Form (H. Bahrainy, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: University of Tehran Press. [in Persian]
Masnavi, M. R., & Soltanifard, H. (2007). Complex landscape and landscape complexity, the role of complexity in sustainability of ecological systems. Enviromental Sciences, 4(4), 85-100. [in Persian]
Mcharg, I. L. (2007). Design with Nature (H. Vahabzadeh., Trans.). Mashhad, Iran: Mashhad University Jahad Press. [in Persian]
Moughtin, C. (2005). Urban Design Green Dimensions (K. Mehrabani, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: processing and urban planning publishing.
Muir, L. (2010). Mapping Landscape Urbanism. (Master Master Thesis), University of Manitoba, Canada.  
MVVA. (2010). Lower Don Lands Framework Plans.   Retrieved from http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca
Parivar, P., Faryadi, S., Yavari, A. R., Salehi, E., & Harati, P. (2013). Developing the Ecological Sustainable Strategies to increase Urban Environmental Resilience: (Case Study: Districts 1 and 3 of Tehran Municipality). Enviromental Studies, 39(1), 123–132. doi:10.22059/JES.2013.30393
Pollak, L. (2006). Constructed Ground: Questions of Scale. In C. Waldheim (Ed.), The Landscape Urbanism Reader (pp. 125-140). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Prominski, M. (2005). Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems. The Design Journal, 8(3), 25-34.
Rafieian, M., & Maroofi, S. (2012). Theoretical Application of Collaborative Planning in New Urban Planning Theories. Armanshahr, Architecture & Urban Development, 4(7), 113-120. [in Persian]
Roe, M. (2007). The Social Dimensions of Landscape Sustainability. In J. Benson & M. Roe (Eds.), Landscape and Sustainability (pp. 58-83). London: Routledge,Taylor & Francis.
Selman, P. (2007). Landscape and sustainability at the national and regional scales. In J. Benson & M. Roe (Eds.), Landscape and Sustainability (pp. 104-117). London: Routledge,Taylor & Francis.
Selman, P. (2012). Sustainable Landscape Planning: The Reconnection Agenda. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Shane, G. (2006). The Emergence of Landscape Urbanism. In C. Waldheim (Ed.), The Landscape Urbanism Reader (pp. 55-67). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Spirn, A. W. (1998). The language of Landscpae (H. Bahrainy & B. Aminzadeh, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: University of Tehran Press. [in Persian]
Stake, R. E. (1995). The Art of Case Study Research. London: SAGE Publications.
Steiner, F. (2011). Landscape ecological urbanism: Origins and trajectories. Journal of Landscape and Urban Planning, 100(4), 333-337. doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2011.01.020
Thompson, I. H. (2012). Ten Tenets and Six Questions for Landscape Urbanism. Journal of  Landscape Research, 37(1), 7-26. doi:10.1080/01426397.2011.632081
Waldheim, C. (2006a). Introduction: A Reference Manifesto. In C. Waldheim (Ed.), The Landscape Urbanism Reader (pp. 13-19). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Waldheim, C. (2006b). Landscape as urbanism. In C. Waldheim (Ed.), The Landscape Urbanism Reader (pp. 35-53). New York Princeton Architectural Press.
Waldheim, C. (2016). Landscape as Urbanism: A General Theory. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Wall, A. (1999). Programming the Urban Surface. In J. Corner (Ed.), Recovering Landscape: Essays in Contemporary Landscape Architecture (pp. 233-249). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Weller, R. (2006). An Art of Instrumentality: Thinking Through Landscape. In C. Waldheim (Ed.), The Landscape Urbanism Reader (pp. 71-85). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Weller, R. (2008). Landscape (Sub)Urbanism in Theory and Practice. Landscape Journal, 27(2), 255-278.