Patrimonio culturale e paesaggio. Un approccio di filiera per la progettualità territoriale.

The role of cultural and landscape heritage in building territorial identity has been examined at length by human sciences and thus the deep-seated causes determining the consolidation of territorial organizations, the value of natural and anthropic components, the processes of significance attribution and enrichment and the motivations for conservation and enhancement have all been thoroughly analysed and clarified. Upon conclusion of this phase, an examination of the manner in which this “cultural capital” is managed was deemed necessary in order to ensure that all the identified potential be expressed in the planning and financial programming processes. As a consequence, scientific reflection must focus upon the consequences of applying approaches which, from a theoretical-methodological perspective, are concrete and well-developed. Falling within the context of this debate is the volume entitled “Patrimonio culturale e paesaggio: un approccio di filiera per la progettualità territoriale” (Cultural and landscape Heritage: a sectoral approach to territorial planning). This volume proposes a research procedure based upon a transversal approach which integrates diverse expertise in the cultural realm in order to overcome any sectoral partiality in the analyses and actions to be undertaken. In order to attain the basic research and application objectives, geographical sciences are involved in the entire gamut of disciplinary approaches – which range from consideration of the essence of landscape, the most innovative systems of mapping representation, studies regarding anthropic pressure and landscape standardization to new forms of territorial competition undertaken in the rationale of governance and cultural districts. In a multi-quality approach, landscape - like polihedra - must be observed from various angles and perspectives in order to fully comprehend the multiplicity of the various aspects. In analyzing cultural and environmental heritage based upon “sectoral” logic, the theoretical-operational framework needs to be established by a panel, comprised of diverse expertise representing specialized areas of research, will be able to lead the way to a clear and well developed procedure for territorial studies.