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| Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape | |
|---|---|
| Name | Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape |
| Adopted | 2011 |
| Adopted by | UNESCO |
| Related | World Heritage Convention, Burra Charter, Venice Charter, Historic Urban Landscape approach |
| Scope | Historic urban areas |
| Language | English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian |
Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape
The Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape is a policy instrument adopted in 2011 by UNESCO that integrates cultural heritage and urban planning perspectives to manage historic cities, towns, and urban sites. It connects established frameworks such as the World Heritage Convention, the Venice Charter, and the Burra Charter with contemporary agendas promoted by UN-Habitat, UNEP, and regional bodies like the European Commission, emphasizing links among built fabric, cultural landscapes, and socioeconomic processes. The Recommendation encourages coordinated action among organizations including the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the ICOMOS national committees, and municipal administrations exemplified by cities like Paris, Beijing, Istanbul, Alexandria, and Quito.
The Recommendation was adopted at the 36th session of the UNESCO General Conference in 2011 following consultations with stakeholders such as ICOMOS, ICCROM, IUCN, and UN-Habitat, and reflects precedents set by instruments like the World Heritage Committee decisions, the UN Millennium Declaration, and the Habitat III discussions. Debates involved representatives from Italy, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Brazil and built on case work in cities like Barcelona, Rome, Jerusalem, and Mexico City. The text was formulated to complement legal instruments such as the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage while addressing urban pressures documented by agencies like OECD and World Bank.
The Recommendation defines the "historic urban landscape" to encompass tangible and intangible elements associated with places such as Old Havana, Vigan, Luang Prabang, Zanzibar, and Marrakesh, integrating settings, views, and cultural practices referenced in documents from ICOMOS International Scientific Committee meetings. It emphasizes plural values recognized by heritage bodies like Europa Nostra and links to legal concepts advanced in instruments including the European Landscape Convention and national laws in France, Spain, and South Africa. Core principles draw from technical guidance produced by ICCROM, academic work by scholars associated with University College London and Harvard University, and municipal charters developed in Barcelona and Vienna.
Methodological advice in the Recommendation recommends inventories, mapping, and participatory assessments applied in projects led by institutes like Getty Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, and World Monuments Fund in locations such as Florence, Savannah, Havana, and Cusco. Components include assessment of values, identification of cultural and natural attributes, risk analysis referencing standards used by UNISDR and climate guidance from IPCC, and management frameworks similar to those adopted by the Historic Urban Areas programme of UNESCO. Tools and methods draw on mapping practice from ESRI collaborations, socioeconomic studies by UNDP, and conservation approaches illustrated in pilot projects in Alexandria, Lagos, and Istanbul.
Implementation guidance encourages integration into planning instruments like municipal master plans used in Shanghai, zoning ordinances enacted in New York City, and regulatory frameworks in Lisbon and Kraków. It advises cross-sectoral collaboration among entities such as Ministry of Culture (France), local authorities in Porto, and sectoral agencies in Singapore while recommending financing mechanisms referenced by the World Bank and donor programs from European Investment Bank. Capacity-building is promoted through partnerships with universities including Sorbonne University, University of Cape Town, and University of Tokyo, and professional training by organizations like ICOMOS and ICCROM.
The HUL approach has been applied in diverse contexts: adaptive reuse projects in Kathmandu, waterfront regeneration in Alexandria, resilience planning in New Orleans, and heritage-led tourism strategies in Dubrovnik and Salzburg. National and municipal applications include urban conservation plans in Quito and Valparaíso, revitalization in Valletta, and integrated management in Hanoi and Lima. International collaborations have linked technical assistance from UNESCO offices, pilot funding from UNDP and World Bank, and academic research from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and ETH Zurich.
Critics associated with think tanks and advocacy groups such as Cultural Heritage without Borders and academic critics at Columbia University argue the Recommendation can be vague in implementation, may privilege heritage commodification in places like Venice and Barcelona, and risks reinforcing inequities noted in studies of gentrification in London and San Francisco. Operational challenges include limited local capacity in cities such as Kabul, legal conflicts in jurisdictions like Beijing and Riyadh, and tensions between conservation priorities promoted by ICOMOS and urban development pressures advocated by agencies like World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Since adoption, the Recommendation has influenced policy instruments, academic curricula at institutions like University College London and TU Delft, and professional practice among planners in Melbourne and Toronto, while shaping debates within forums such as UN-Habitat assemblies and World Urban Forum. It has informed updates to municipal regulations in Cusco and Zanzibar and contributed to interdisciplinary networks linking ICCROM, ICOMOS, and regional bodies such as the African Union and the European Union. The HUL approach continues to frame global discussions on conservation and urban change alongside initiatives by UNESCO World Heritage Centre and multilateral development banks.