Setting, skyline and surroundings. The iconological turn of urban realities

Lipp, Wilfried (2005) Setting, skyline and surroundings. The iconological turn of urban realities. In: 15th ICOMOS General Assembly and International Symposium: ‘Monuments and sites in their setting - conserving cultural heritage in changing townscapes and landscapes’, 17 – 21 oct 2005, Xi'an, China. [Conference or Workshop Item]

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Abstract (in English)

Monuments and sites are not isolated, they are – at least in our imagination – embedded in a specific setting, characterized by a typical skyline and intertwined in their respective surroundings. But reality proves that our imagination has often fooled us. In spite of the (theoretical) acknowledgement that the environment plays an important role for monuments and sites, in practice observations show two tendencies: they are increasingly becoming isolated on the one hand thus we can speak of singular “icons”, of “islands” of historic quarters of “relics” of the past in changing times. On the other they are becoming integrated through alteration and “modernization” in the processes of urban development. Undoubtedly our view on monuments and sites has turned from the wide perspectives of townscapes (vedute) in the 18th and 19th century which embraced the entire city or area with all the specifics of their setting, skyline and surroundings to a narrow and limited view of a pre-determined section to the so-called motif which is captured in postcards and clichés. These specific views of monuments and sites must be searched for as one would through the lens of a camera, consciously excluding the environment. Often hidden in the jungle of cities the architectonic highlights of the past are targets of sightseeing excursions, conserved and used as tourist attractions, only receiving a fast glimpse by the passers-by. This partial perception has given these objects a new meaning. Thus we are contemporaries of a radical iconological turn confronted with:

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Authors:	Authors Email Lipp, Wilfried UNSPECIFIED
Languages:	English
Keywords:	urban environment; historic monuments; setting; skyline; surrounding of historic monuments; urban planning; urban design
Subjects:	A. THEORETICAL AND GENERAL ASPECTS > 14. Theory of town planning D.URBANISM > 02. Urban planning D.URBANISM > 01. Generalities E.CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION > 05. Sites
ICOMOS Special Collection:	Scientific Symposium (ICOMOS General Assemblies)
ICOMOS Special Collection Volume:	2005, 15th
Depositing User:	Jose Garcia
Date Deposited:	29 Oct 2010 10:48
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2011 19:14
URI:	https://openarchive.icomos.org/id/eprint/292

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