The Protected Vista draws a historical lineage from the eighteenth-century picturesque to present-day planning policy, highlighting how the values embedded within familiar views have developed over time through appropriation by diverse groups for cultural and political purposes. The book examines the intellectual construction of the protected vista, questioning the values entrenched within the view, by whom, and how they are observed and disseminated, to reveal how these views have been, and continue to be, part of a changing historical and political narrative. With a deeper knowledge and understanding of the shifting values in urban views, we will be better equipped to make decisions surrounding their protection in our urban centres. The book identifies the origins of current view protection policy in the aesthetic convention of the picturesque, drawing on a range of illustrated examples in the UK, the US, Australia, Canada and South Africa, to serve as a useful reference for students, researchers and academics in architecture, architectural conservation, landscape and urban planning.

The Protected Vista draws a historical lineage from the eighteenth-century picturesque to present-day planning policy, highlighting how the values embedded within familiar views have developed over time through appropriation by diverse groups for cultural and political purposes. The book examines the intellectual construction of the protected vista, questioning the values entrenched within the view, by whom, and how they are observed and disseminated, to reveal how these views have been, and continue to be, part of a changing historical and political narrative. With a deeper knowledge and understanding of the shifting values in urban views, we will be better equipped to make decisions surrounding their protection in our urban centres. The book identifies the origins of current view protection policy in the aesthetic convention of the picturesque, drawing on a range of illustrated examples in the UK, the US, Australia, Canada and South Africa, to serve as a useful reference for students, researchers and academics in architecture, architectural conservation, landscape and urban planning.

All over the world, cities are facing growing pressure to develop upwards with tall buildings that have a direct impact upon their visual character. In reaction, systems of view protection have been developed to conserve the familiar visual experience of cities. Such developments, and the effectiveness of systems of view protection, continue to be both politically and financially risky for developers, architects, planners and politicians alike. Controversy highlights the lack of both a scholarly and practical understanding of the ideas that underpin view protection policy - where did they originate? What do they mean? How do they work? And what are their consequences? Value in the View: Conserving Historic Urban Views presents readers with a comprehensive study of the ideas and philosophies at work in policies of view protection. The power of UNESCO's policy of view protection is investigated through six studies of contemporary cities (London, Dresden, St Petersburg, Istanbul and Vancouver). With the idea of 'the view' at its core, this book examines how dominant international ideas of heritage are constructed, maintained and reinforced, and explores how they exert power over the urban and architectural form of contemporary cities. It's a highly engaging guide that will aid practitioners in the implementation of policy and design of development within historic urban contexts, as well as contributing to scholarly debate on the protection of views in architecture and planning.