New landscapes perspectives for planning

Abstract

This chapter explores the contemporary renewal of the concept of landscape and its application to regional and town planning. Its utility has to do with the ability to analyse and design territories, ecosystems, networks and infrastructures at all scales. At the same time, landscape becomes both a medium and a management tool to restore deteriorated territories and activate abandoned areas based on the idea of enhancing the ecological potential of places. Ecology is used to generate the necessary processes to develop strategies to achieve future sustainability over time by accommodating or even catalysing change (natural or man-made). As a result, landscape perspective integrates synthetic nature with an open, dynamic, adaptable and flexible decision-making system for complex spaces.