Part of a broader strategy to examine how a more holistic approach to landscape may significantly contribute the global challenges by re-establishing landscape at the forefront of development and as the context within which the development processes take place, this paper investigates the extent to which low carbon and spatial quality can be delivered in regional infrastructure projects.
The paper looks at the outcomes of two case studies, one of the Landscape Observatory (Spain) and the second of the Room for the River/Dutch Waterline (Netherlands). The two case studies are complementary, the first examining the way the idea of landscape can change hearts and minds, the second showing how the idea of landscape is used to shape the implementation of national projects in the Netherlands.
This research shows how the Landscape Observatory has changed public opinion through a series of catalogues, seminars, projects and public participation to such an extent that there is now a public law protecting landscape – a concept that would have been inconceivable 10 years ago. The two national programmes in the Netherlands known as the ‘Room for the River’ and the ‘Dutch Waterline’, devised in response to the problems of climate change and long term sustainability of the Netherlands, demonstrate the potential and significance of introducing the quality of space as a vital aspect of regional infrastructure.
In their different ways, these case studies have shown how this idea of landscape can be used, through a range of specific tools and policies to achieve low carbon and sustainable outcomes as well as the extent to which both are dependent the various modes of visual and spatial representation of concepts, ideas and a sense of place to convey the powerful and profound value of the landscape.
Finally, the potential of understanding landscape as the context for the process of development will be analysed by discussing the impact these case studies might have had for the regions
