Landscape and Identity – Theoretical Considerations for the Advancement of Landscape Assessment Landschaft und Identität Theoretische Überlegungen zur Weiterentwicklung der Landschaftsbildbewertung

Abstract

Based on established theoretical principles derived from various disciplines this German-Czech research cooperation elaborates how landscape contributes to a person's identity by taking into consideration both basic human needs and modern instruments of landscape assessment. The relationship between human identity and the meaning of places to humans can be defined through the co-creation of humans and landscape. Landscape can function as both, an identity-endowing part itself or as a backdrop or scenery in which identity-forming processes and interactions take place. Basic human needs can be assigned to specific landscapes. Neither contemporary German nor Czech landscape assessment methods incorporate this, although Zube's approach to landscape assessment would allow the landscape planner to combine human needs and the shaping of landscapes. Zube's professional paradigm, behavioural paradigm, and humanistic paradigm are analysed through identifying their strengths and weaknesses. The theoretical and methodological findings serve as basis for the development of an “integrated landscape assessment” as a modern instrument to integrate human needs into landscape assessment and to better balance expert planning and participation by emphasising the humanistic paradigm.