The landscape thresholds analysis as an integrated approach to landscape interpretation for planning purposes

Abstract

Two general arguments have triggered the need for tools enabling planners a careful consideration of complicated landscape conditions in planning and design decisions. The first one is the need to implement sustainable development rules, including landscape heritage protection while the urban transformation is taking place. The second one is the lack of comprehensive landscape planning tools responding to the new landscape definition and landscape development rules of the European Landscape Convention (2000). In recent years the hermeneutical approach emerged and provided the framework to construct such tools. The landscape thresholds analysis (LTA) has been built upon this approach and threshold theory, which has a long tradition in spatial planning. A description of the method is presented based on the example of West Wilanów (Warsaw, Poland). Within this area, the Wilanów Town housing estate has been located on the grounds of the former royal residence with still existing palace surrounded by a park. The application of the LTA method allowed “translation” of the results of the landscape interpretation into spatial categories (here: natural, cultural, and sensual-cognitive thresholds) and an indication of the areas with different restrictions. The presented LTA method, embedded in a theoretical hermeneutical framework, provides a common denominator in the concept of landscape thresholds dealing with all three layers of the landscape. Focused on the identity of landscape recognition and interpretation of the results by landscape thresholds LTA method constitutes a comprehensive toolbox for landscape and spatial planning purposes