Istabraq Jassem Mohammed*
| Rawaa Fawzi Naom Abbawi | Nada Abdulmueen Hasan
© 2023 IIETA. This article is published by IIETA and is licensed under the CC BY 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
OPEN ACCESS
Cultural landscapes embody historical significance, illustrating the interplay between humankind and nature over time. These landscapes epitomize the social and cultural history of regions, vividly portraying societal characteristics, events, and activities. They express the fundamental values intrinsic to these societies, encapsulating human development, and forging a connection between populations and their historical past. Cultural landscapes enhance the local cultural character, fostering human interaction on physical, sensory, and symbolic levels. They mirror lifestyle philosophies and the ideologies behind place creation, providing a consistent representation of events and locations throughout history. A knowledge gap has been identified concerning the definition of cultural landscapes and their values that could potentially foster the development of riverfronts. This paper endeavors to bridge this gap by investigating the values of cultural landscapes across various categories and their correlation with riverfront development. The research adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology, with an extensive review of previous literature to construct a theoretical framework. The study relies on the vocabulary derived from this framework to explore the realization of these values through an examination of a section of the Shatt al-Arab riverfront in Basra city, Iraq. The research verifies the efficacy of cultural landscape value indicators in riverfront development. These include spatial values represented by context, location, and historical influence, tangible and intangible heritage values, functional values pertaining to spiritual and recreational functions, social values embodied in social integration and community participation, and aesthetic values associated with place memories, elements of natural and manufactured landscapes. Cultural values are manifested in landmarks, buildings, and cultural spaces. Cultural landscape values have been found to contribute to sustainable development, steering and revitalizing numerous cultural activities and events. This has fostered enhanced vitality, deepened the sense of identity and place values, rendered the city globally competitive, and augmented its cultural value.
cultural landscape values, riverfront urban development, cultural urban landscapes, Basra, Iraq, Shatt al-Arab corniche
Waterfronts, denoting the junctions where terrestrial landscapes and bodies of water intersect [1], possess unique characteristics that make them potential spaces of exploitation [2, 3]. These spaces not only mirror the social and cultural contexts of societies [1] but also serve as vital sources of reprieve from urban lifestyle pressures, offering varied opportunities that enhance the quality of life across economic, cultural, and social dimensions. The riverfront and its associated green corridor contribute significantly to water pollution mitigation, biodiversity enhancement, and climate moderation in surrounding urban areas [4-6].
Rivers, intrinsic to urban life, function as identities, visual and cultural resources, vital memory vessels, and life systems. They serve as corridors of ceaseless movement and leisure centers, encapsulating a plethora of perceptions along their lengths and offering diverse opportunities for daily life [7]. Riverfronts afford unmatched possibilities for interpreting and imparting natural values, community history, and culture [8]. Additionally, rivers form the backbone of many ecosystems, supporting the global tourism industry, particularly ecotourism and other recreational activities [9].
Riverfront development is a topic of global significance owing to its role in urban development and regeneration. Numerous cities worldwide are re-envisioning their relationship with water due to the myriad social, cultural, economic, and environmental benefits it offers to urban dwellers [10]. While the understanding of waterfront development varies across locations and cities, its fundamental concept aligns with waterfront regeneration, revitalization, rehabilitation, and redevelopment [11, 12].
The cultural landscape's distinctiveness in the urban waterfront fosters a unique behavior and spirit of place in all culture-related activities. Rivers foster a connection between city inhabitants and nature through landscape [13]. Previous studies have explored the relationship between riverfront development and the values of cultural landscapes at different levels. Some studies focused on protecting the heritage values of landscapes and the sustainability of current values, while others treated the integration of social and natural values in river planning, the potential for a sense of place in supporting the development of the river's cultural landscape values, and the protection and preservation of cultural and heritage values in waterfront area development [14].
This research aims to explore the values of cultural landscapes and their role in riverfront development, positing that cultural landscape values contribute to riverfront development at various levels. To address the research problem and realize its goals, the study will undertake the following steps:
- Clarifying the concept of cultural landscape.
- Reviewing previous studies on the values of cultural landscapes different categories and extracting their most important indicators, and then building a comprehensive knowledge framework.
- Exploring the extent to which the values of the cultural landscapes are realized for the development of a part of the riverfront of the city of Basra represented by the Shatt al-Arab Corniche, including the area of the presidential palace, through practical study, and drawing the most important results and conclusions.
Cultural landscapes are considered a result of the development of primary landscapes (natural landscapes-in different ecological zones) that have existed since the Neolithic times [15]. They are those areas that are associated with a historical event, activity, or person, display cultural or aesthetic values, and show the characteristics of society or represent its values. It represents any landscape that people have created, used, modified or protected (from historic parks and urban parks to conservation reserves, or from the spaces of neighboring streets to farms and forests), in a way that illustrates the development of human society over time, under the influence of material restrictions and/or opportunities provided by their natural environment and successive social, economic and cultural forces, external and internal, so cultural landscape are considered the result of the partnership between nature and human [2]. It is also of historical importance as it connects the population to their past, and reflects the social, cultural, environmental and economic history. They are not frozen resources. Rather, it is vital in the present and maintains the connection with the past-it is valued by contemporary society for what it offers today, including that connection with the past [16]. It expresses traditions and values and constitutes a record of the continuous interactions between people and place. These interactions and the values they embody produce both tangible and intangible heritage [17, 18].
Figure 1. Carl O. Sauer’s model of cultural landscape concept (1925) [19]
Thinnakorn and Anurak [18] referred to Carl O. Sauer’s definition of landscape as representing spaces with a cultural and physical appearance. Samsudin and Maliki [19] stated that Carl O. Sauer’s model in 1925 of cultural landscape concept changes due to the change in landscapes by humans over time and is considered a document of human history associated with human values and place (Figure 1), and to Zube’s Model of Perception (1982) that humans and outer spaces are in a state of mutual influence that affects the personality and quality of the other, and the interaction between the elements will lead to a result, as in Figure 2. The cultural landscape is a local environment that can only be preserved through the dynamic interaction between customs and popular social and cultural nature [20].
Figure 2. Model of perception (zube in 1982) [19]
The dynamic interactions and changes between humans and landscapes contribute to the production of cultural landscape as a new value that integrates people, land, time, events, and things. It reflects social and cultural history, as it connects the population to their past, shows the characteristics of society, is associated with events, activities, and history, and continuously expresses traditions and values.
This requires a review of previous studies on cultural landscapes to extract their values.
In this paragraph, the research presents several studies, to build the theoretical framework by reviewing previous studies for each [2, 14, 17, 21-33], where many values emerged for cultural landscapes, and the following is an explanation of the most important of them:
3.1 Heritage values
Cultural landscape expresses traditions and values and constitutes a record of the continuous interactions between people and places. These interactions and the values they embody produce both tangible and intangible heritage.
3.1.1 The tangible heritage values
The tangible elements of the cultural landscape embody the spirit of place and include natural systems and vegetation, land use patterns and gathering, spatial organization (physical, visual, and functional), visual relations, systems of movement, properties of natural and designed water elements, and site elements and furnishings [17]. The tangible values of these elements are created and sustained through the intangible activities of the local population in daily living activities and efforts to preserve livelihoods and cultural landscapes [21].
3.1.2 The intangible heritage values
Intangible values overlap in space, and intangible expressions of ways of life can be observed. These intangible values rooted in landscapes are expressed in spaces used for festivals, traditional music, dance, and performance, religious rituals, a commemoration of past events, and traditional practices, as a distinctive shared community place of memory and current use. They also indicate the intangible values present in the places where valuable events in daily life and special occasions take place or the remnants of previous traditions [17]. They also document every important event in daily life, which people wish to remember in the future, and link events to specific places, such as the places where they were born, the streets, and every historical event related in some way, directly or indirectly, to the place [22].
3.2 Social values
Social values appear significantly in the course of daily life, and places with social values are defined as those that can provide a spiritual or traditional connection between the past and the present (linking past and present) [23], serving to restore history [24]. Social values also provide basic, evolving, and interdependent societal functions that form some aspects of community behavior or attitudes [24, 25]. The cultural landscape is capable of accommodating a huge range of identities and preserving many of them. It is important to describe the individual identity or the multiple identities within each cultural landscape and identify both the ideas that created them and the material components that the identity support, in both physical and cultural terms.
Material identity represents the integration of natural and cultural resources, while cultural identity means a dynamic balance between ideas related to place and the physical reality of a place. Multiple ideas and practices are linked to one place, this multiplicity creates layers, these layers become separate cultural landscapes, overlapping, but with independent borders and characteristics. Many layered areas are layered around functionality; others are related to spiritual importance; and others are related to community ties. Different communities are important to cultural landscapes, being linked by indigenous communities and others by certain historical associations. For many of them, this means seeing visitors as an essential community, and even virtual visitors who experience space through media and other means of communication, and who contribute in part to the development of the area’s cultural identity [26].
3.3 Functional values
The best way to ensure the preservation of the function values of sites is through re-employment, and making them relevant and desired in today’s society. These places help define identity and give a sense of place, they also mean providing a new purpose related to the society it serves today, in addition to reflecting the history on which it is built. The functional values of cultural landscapes include many functions, such as recreational functions that allow residents and tourists to participate together in various activities such as swimming, walking, and cycling, rejuvenating the vitality of this part of the city, in addition to multiple purposes such as gyms, clubs, museums, and exhibitions. They also include mixed functions such as function opportunities, tourism, and various services. Spiritual, healing, and agricultural functions can also provide a connection to nature, through spiritual and healing contact [27, 28].
3.4 Spatial values
The cultural landscape has a spatial projection that includes not only actual values but also activities and services associated with them [29].
3.4.1 Levels of spatial values
The values of landscape are determined by four elements: The spatial qualities that distinguish a place from others, such as location, infrastructure, communications, and architecture. Characteristics of the population that distinguish them from the inhabitants of other places, such as values, habits, and physical appearance. Social conditions and social relations among the population. Culture and/or history, which are seen as a unifying element that binds the population back to traditions and again distinguishes it from the first two (place and population) [2]. The values of the site also lie in its association with the history of the city, the cultural expression of the city, and the principle of positive organization in the urban fabric of the city, in addition to being a controlled ecosystem and a sustainable resource for enjoyment and recreation [2, 30].
Spatial values impose their mark through valuable buildings and monuments [29], and the cultural context in which a building is placed is part of its historical significance. Historical places are seen as individual buildings, usually large public buildings, or residences associated with personalities and celebrities to be repurposed appropriately [31].
3.4.2 Nature of spatial values
The meanings of spatial values represent a feature of the local population’s attachment to the place, which reflects their connection through storytelling and knowledge of the past (narrative coherence) [31]. It also constitutes an important collective sense of place that adds to the identities of local peoples, which supports a group with a wide range of outdoor activities and outdoor recreation motives (social bonding), and residents are connected (natural bonding) to the connections between people and places in the river’s landscapes. A place is meaningful when it enables people to engage in a certain type of activity, such as cycling, walking, and kayaking. The place becomes part of self-identity and indicates a deep symbolic connection [31, 32].
3.5 Aesthetic values
They are achieved by using natural elements such as water and local plants of cultural origin [2], and promote well-being and the presence of friends, family, and memories [31].
3.6 Cultural values
They can be considered values included in national and international heritage. Uniqueness is a fundamental value of living in, visiting, and celebrating cities. This uniqueness is directly linked to the universal value of urban heritage with many notable heritage cities included in the World Heritage List. This means recognition of uniqueness and universal importance [17, 29]. The recognition of these cultural values and their benefits facilitates the design of sustainable and beautiful river spaces that aim to create dynamic spaces by highlighting the importance of the river and its relationship to people and space [33].
Cultural monuments also represent external cultural elements that have representative, memorial, or symbolic functions and that were located in places easily accessible to the public. This was taken to include sculptures, monuments, memorials, mosaics, murals, sculptural items, outdoor advertising objects, and fountains [24]. Cultural buildings and public art can also greatly enhance the atmosphere that celebrates the special character of a city. Large cultural buildings, whether they are theatres, museums, or art galleries, not only enrich the spiritual life of citizens but also serve to develop the cultural identity of the city. Public spaces such as squares, gardens, and other spaces that highlight the culture and history of the site have a role to enrich the spiritual life of local communities and integrate them with new uses [2].
Table 1. Values of cultural landscapes
|
Main Variables |
Secondary Variables |
Possible Values |
||
|
Spatial values |
Levels of spatial values |
Context |
Spatial characteristics that distinguish one place from another (vital and diverse places, infrastructure, communications, architecture, etc.) |
|
|
Population traits that distinguish them from residents of other places |
||||
|
Social conditions and relationships among populations (which encourage contact between communities and an appreciation of nature) |
||||
|
Culture and/or history |
||||
|
The site |
Link to the history of the city |
|||
|
The cultural expression of the city |
||||
|
Positive organization in the urban fabric of the city |
||||
|
Creating a sustainable and monitored ecosystem |
||||
|
The building-historical monument |
Individual building (archaeological, or associated with certain personalities or celebrities) |
|||
|
Large public buildings |
||||
|
Nature of spatial values |
Spatial meanings |
Narrative coherence-individual and collective memories (Help to draw meaning from past events) |
||
|
Social bonding-active places for entertainment |
||||
|
Natural connection-control of the river and protection of ecological values |
||||
|
Connection and attachment to the place |
Dependence on the place by supporting the place for certain activities-special places (boating, fishing, cycling, rowing, etc.) |
|||
|
Symbolic association (place is part of self-identity) |
||||
|
Heritage values |
Tangible values |
Natural systems and plants |
||
|
Land use patterns and aggregation |
||||
|
Spatial organization (physical, visual, and functional) |
||||
|
Visual relations (Discover objects and understanding the interactions between them) between the recipient and landscape, (scenes, panoramic images, and visual axes) |
||||
|
Movement systems |
||||
|
Characteristics of natural and designed water elements |
||||
|
Site items and furniture |
||||
|
Intangible values |
Festivals |
|||
|
Traditional music, dance, and performance |
||||
|
Religious rituals |
||||
|
Remembrance of past events |
||||
|
Traditional practices |
||||
|
A distinctive shared community place of memory and current use |
||||
|
Functional values |
Spiritual functions |
Provider or emitter of life |
||
|
Relaxation |
||||
|
Healing functions |
Thermal spas |
|||
|
Making ointments from the plant to treat diseases |
||||
|
Agricultural functions |
Improving the quality of life |
|||
|
Providing for community needs |
||||
|
Promote the value of the waterfront as a useful resource |
||||
|
Recreational functions |
Interactive functions and recreational opportunities (walking paths, green spaces, fishing, gathering, transportation, sports clubs, museums, exhibitions, etc.) |
|||
|
Mixed function |
Function opportunities, tourism, various services, etc. |
|||
|
Social values |
Social inclusion |
Spiritual or traditional connection (the connection between past and present) |
||
|
Restore history |
||||
|
Community participation |
Supporting community functions |
|||
|
Shaping societal behaviour |
||||
|
Sense of identity |
Physical identity |
human activity |
||
|
Integration of natural and cultural resources |
||||
|
Cultural identity |
place-related ideas |
|||
|
the physical reality of a place |
||||
|
The importance of contextual identity |
The original people |
|||
|
Certain historical societies |
||||
|
Arrivals |
||||
|
Visitors (by default via media) |
||||
|
Aesthetic values |
Memories of the place |
|||
|
Elements of outdoor and manufactured spaces |
||||
|
Cultural values |
Uniqueness and universal significance-included in the national and international heritage |
|||
|
Cultural landmarks |
Representative landmarks (frescoes, fountains, ...) |
|||
|
Memorials |
||||
|
Symbolic landmarks (sculpture art, mosaics, ...) |
||||
|
Cultural buildings (theatres, museums, art galleries, cafes, restaurants, ...) |
||||
|
Cultural spaces (public spaces, squares, parks ...) |
||||
Based on what has been presented in proposals and previous studies specialized in the values of cultural landscapes, a theoretical base and a field of knowledge have been provided that can be adopted in defining the main terms and their secondary indicators that focus on the values of cultural landscapes. It includes: spatial values and includes each of the levels of spatial values represented by the context, site and the building-historical monument, the nature of spatial values represented by spatial meanings and connection and attachment to the place; tangible and intangible heritage values; functional values with regard to spiritual, healing, agricultural, recreational and mixed functions; and social values represented by social inclusion and Community participation and sense of identity and the importance of contextual identity; aesthetic values related to memories of place and elements of outdoor and manufactured spaces; cultural values in Uniqueness and universal significance and cultural landmarks and Cultural buildings and Cultural spaces, as in Table 1.
To explore the possibility of benefiting from the theoretical framework that was reached in finding the extent to which the values of cultural landscapes and their indicators are achieved, the research adopted the descriptive analytical study method to achieve its goal and reach the desired results by studying the case of part of the riverfront of the Shatt al-Arab in the city of Basra represented by the Shatt al-Arab Corniche, including the area of the presidential palace. The subsequent paragraphs explain the analysis and study of the region according to the variables of the theoretical framework’s terms, as shown in Table 1 above, specifically concerning the values of cultural landscapes, which include spatial, heritage, functional, social, aesthetic, and cultural values.
The site for the practical study was chosen due to the city’s historical importance, and the main attractions represented by the waterfront of the Shatt al-Arab, the Basra Corniche (and the cultural center located along the Corniche), as the boundaries of the waterfront of the Shatt al-Arab Corniche were known for a distance of approximately (2,617km). In addition to the presidential palaces area overlooking the Shatt al-Arab Corniche, the most important cultural, and heritage landmarks in people’s memories, in addition to the importance of the buildings built on it, whether currently existing or not [34]. It starts from the mouth of the Ashar River, which is located on the northern side of the Shatt al-Arab, passing through the Basra International Hotel until the teaching hospital building in the Al-Baradiya area in the southern side, in addition to the presidential palaces area, with an area of (75) hectares. It includes four palaces, artificial lakes, and gardens, and provides an opportunity for a redevelopment project and linking it to the Shatt al-Arab Corniche, as shown in Figure 3.
The research was based on repeatedly field visits to the site, which included documenting images and analysis, within the indicators of the theoretical framework and adopting the effectiveness of repeating indicators. In addition to the strategy of developing the city of Basra and updating its basic design for the year (2013), which is the latest study documented by the Municipality of Basra [34], part of which has been implemented at present, as the northern part of the Shatt al-Arab Corniche has been developed and development work has begun for the southern part of it, as shown in Figure 4. The development strategy prepared included the establishment of a new center for cultural and recreational uses and the re-development of the presidential palaces as a cultural/entertainment use area and constitutes a step towards protecting and preserving a piece of Basra’s history, and considering the waterfront as a value that must be protected and planned carefully because it reflects cultural landscapes, thus contributing to the development of its values on the riverfront.
Figure 3. Study location
Figure 4. The proposed development [35]
A descriptive analysis of the theoretical framework was carried out on the part of the riverfront of the Shatt al-Arab Corniche, including the area of the presidential palace in Basra, to explore the extent to which the values and indicators of cultural landscapes are achieved, as follows:
7.1 Description and analysis of spatial values
At the level of the context, the spatial characteristics that distinguish one place from another are embodied through the availability of a series of places scattered along the riverfront, such as the presence of museums, gardens, pedestrian paths, boats, movement paths, the availability of internet networks, as well as the population characteristics that distinguish the population from other places, represented by the customs of hospitality, welcoming arrivals, free banquets, and willingness to help others. As for the conditions and social relations among the population, which encourage communication between communities and appreciation of nature, they are embodied through the interaction of the population with each other through the various cultural, recreational, sports, and seasonal events and activities held on the site. We also find that culture and/or history is embodied in the site’s long history rich in culture, given that the Shatt al-Arab is one of the oldest places in the city and the most extensive waterway, representing the only way for ships and boats to pass to the port of Al-Ma’aqal (the oldest Iraqi port, established in 1916).
As for the indicators of the site at the levels of spatial values, the connection with the history of the city is embodied by considering the site as the living memory of the city and its waterfront, which represents one of the main transportation routes and a source of income for a wide segment of society that practices fishing. The cultural expression of the city is also achieved by considering the Basra Corniche as the cultural center of the city, and through cultural and tourism uses such as the Natural History Museum and the Basra Civilization Museum. The positive organization in the urban fabric of the city is represented by linking to the city’s fabric functionally and dynamically with a network of main and subsidiary axes that connect the site with the commercial heart of the city and provide an expanse of open spaces that act as an outlet for such a crowded area. The formation of a sustainable and monitored ecosystem is through controlling environmental pollution, establishing filtration stations and water drainage sites, and optimizing the use of rivers linked to the Shatt al-Arab.
The indicators of the building (the historical monument) are related to the levels of spatial values. It is embodied through individual buildings, the presence of some houses associated with well-known personalities in Basra, the governor’s house, which is now the guest house of the province, and the presence of presidential palaces and museums (Basra Natural Museum, the Civilization Museum), and public buildings as large public buildings.
As for the indicators of spatial meanings of the nature of spatial values, there is a great connection to the memory of the city and people with stories, novels, and festivals, individual and collective memories (narrative coherence), and the presence of many places and social events such as poetry forums and cultural and entertainment meetings, make it one of the socially interconnected places, in addition to the natural interdependence represented by controlling the river and protecting ecological values that can be achieved by building dams and controlling the salt tide from the Arabian Gulf, in addition to controlling the rivers branching from the Shatt al-Arab. The indicators of attachment to the place are represented in the dependence on the place through the support of the place for certain activities (special places), the availability of boats, water transport, fishing, cycling, and rowing activities. As for the symbolic link, the location represents a major part of the city’s identity in general and the self-identity of the people of Basra in particular, as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Pictures showing the spatial values of the site
7.2 Description and analysis of heritage values
The tangible values are embodied in the natural systems and plants in the availability of the aquatic environment, existing river life, plants (palm trees), and the establishment of flower exhibitions in specific seasons. As for the patterns of land uses and their gathering, they are achieved by the contiguous cultural and heritage spaces and buildings with public services along the site. The spaces are physically linked through the merger between the masses of large palaces, the surrounding lakes, the huge gate that represents the entrance to the site of the palaces, and the large dominant mass of the Italian bridge, and visually with a kinetic axis extending along the waterfront, and functionally with the character of the area with recreational, administrative, and cultural public spaces, thus the spatial organization is embodied (physically, visually, and functionally). The visual relations between the receiver and the landscape are based on one main visual axis with the presence of sub-axes perpendicular to the river along the river’s edge, in addition to new gathering spaces (musical fountain, Sindbad, Al-Sayyab). As for movement systems, there is a main street for cars in one direction with designated places for pedestrians, just as the availability of the main river and streams or small rivers branching from it, along with the development of a musical fountain on the bank of the river achieved indicators of the characteristics of the natural and designed water, in addition to the availability of seating places, statues, and fountains, thus achieving the furniture of the site.
As for the indicators of intangible values, festivals are embodied in the presence of flower exhibitions, poetry festivals, and cultural events such as the Gulf 25 events and the floating book fair (Locus Hope ship). As for traditional music, dance, and performance, they are done in the performances of the Khashaba troupe and folkloric dance on specific occasions and seasons such as holidays and the activities of the Gulf 25. As for religious rituals, they are achieved by the presence of the Hajj and Umrah Authority and the events of farewell and reception of pilgrims. As for the indicators of traditional practices, they are achieved by the presence of some practices and activities such as boating, fishing, and walking, and it is a distinctive shared community place for memory and current use as it is a place for gathering plants and art exhibits in specific seasons, as shown in the Figure 6.
7.3 Description and analysis of Functional values
Figure 7. Pictures showing the functional values of the site
The indicators of spiritual functions are embodied as a provider or a source of life through the existence of a connection with nature through various activities and flower exhibitions. As for the indicators of relaxation, they are achieved by being an area for rest, recreation, and enjoyment of calm at specific times of the day when it is less crowded with people. As for the indicators of recreational functions, they are achieved by being an area of interactive functions and recreational opportunities for the presence of recreational activities such as walking paths, green spaces, fishing, gathering, water transport, museums, festivals, and exhibitions, in addition to the indicators of functional multiplicity such as function opportunities, tourism, and various services that are achieved by the presence of street vendors, small kiosks, restaurants, boat tours, recreational services, hotels, and government institutions, as shown in Figure 7.
7.4 Description and analysis of social values
Indicators of social inclusion are embodied by providing a spiritual or traditional connection (linking between the past and the present) considering the river is part of the city’s history with its continuous activities over time such as transport, fishing, and heritage places. Indicators of restoring history are achieved by the availability of local historical exhibits of the Civilization Museum in the presidential palaces complex. As for participation indicators, they can be achieved by supporting community functions by the individual carrying out his responsibilities towards society through cleaning campaigns or afforestation campaigns that are organized through the community. As for the indicators of community behavior formation, they are embodied in the availability of various attractions such as entertainment venues, various events, charitable markets, and interaction with different peoples and civilizations.
The physical identity of the indicators of the sense of identity is achieved through human activities such as gatherings, festivals, and celebrations of important events. The integration of natural and cultural resources is achieved by the availability of water resources and aquatic organisms and their association with the profession of fishing and water transport, in addition to local plants and their association with the heritage and culture of the city. Ideas related to the place are realized as indicators of cultural identity, as the site is part of the city’s identity and history, and is a place for rest and recreation. The physical reality of the place is achieved by being a lively and crowded linking area close to the commercial heart of the city with a main road linking all activities. As for the indicators of the importance of contextual identity, they are the presence of a mixture of indigenous and new residents, and visiting the place by expatriates, especially during festivals and various events, in addition to highlighting the place in the media, especially during the events of the Gulf 25 and the Floating Book Fair by visitors (virtually through the media), as shown in Figure 8.
7.5 Description and analysis of aesthetic values
The indicators of place memories are embodied in individual and collective memories of the place and its development over time. As for the indicators of natural and manufactured landscapes, they are achieved by using local plants such as palm trees and water fountains, as shown in Figure 9.
7.6 Description and analysis of cultural values
The indicators of uniqueness in the site are embodied in the fact that it has a long history, rich in culture, and a distinct identity. Basra was often defined as one of the most beautiful cities, and it possessed a unique advantage over the rest of the cities because of its location on the Arabian Gulf, which provided an opportunity to meet with other civilizations. As for the cultural landmarks, they are representative landmarks embodied in the musical fountain on the Shatt al-Arab, in addition to including the development plan into natural scenes, a sequence of statues, monuments. The memorial monuments are embodied in the monument of the poet Badr Shaker al-Sayyab. As for the symbolic monuments, they are made by making and defining permanent places for sculptures that express the culture of the city. As for the cultural buildings, they are embodied in the Natural History Museum, and the Civilization Museum, in addition to temporary exhibitions such as the Floating Book Fair, charity markets, and poetry festivals. Cultural spaces have been achieved in the gardens of presidential palaces and different gathering areas along the riverfront, as in Figure shown 10.
Figure 10. Pictures showing the cultural values of the site
Previous literature addressed the protection of the heritage values of cultural landscape and the sustainability of current values, while other studies addressed the integration of social and natural values into river planning, while some studies indicated the protection and preservation of cultural and heritage values in the development of waterfront areas and the preservation of the character and elements of the cultural landscape. While, this paper presented a Inclusive theoretical framework for the terms and indicators of the values of cultural landscapes in different categories, which were represented by each of the spatial, heritage, functional, social, aesthetic, and cultural values. The extent to which these values and their indicators were achieved were explored for the riverfront of the Shatt al-Arab Corniche, including the presidential palaces in Basra-Iraq. The research revealed the importance of the waterfront, which is a basic and essential point in nature and provides opportunities for the interpretation and teaching of natural values, the history, and culture of society, and as a vital memory, a visual and cultural resource, and as a system of life. The redevelopment of the waterfront landscapes has an important role in guiding and revitalizing many cultural activities and events that contribute to enhancing vitality and deepening the sense of identity and values of the place.
The research also found that most of the values of the cultural landscapes and their indicators have been achieved in the study area, largely through the association with the history of the city, the expression of its rich culture and its distinctive identity, and its support for various activities such as festivals and exhibitions distinguished for memory and current use, in addition to various interactive opportunities and functions that shape community behavior and enhance feelings with a local identity, and allows meeting and interaction with other civilizations.
To complement the indicators of values related to the study area, the research recommends the necessity of a sustainable environmental system subject to monitoring, the construction of dams, and control of the salt tide from the Arabian Gulf, in addition to controlling the rivers branching from the Shatt al-Arab, involving all actors in preserving the values of the region and raising its status globally, represented by the authorities (and their role in legislating laws and controls, adopting projects, developing infrastructure, and sustaining and developing the site), establishments (and their role in participating in festivals, exhibitions and community work), and the private sector (and its role in providing job opportunities and encouraging the tourism sector), and citizens (and their role in contributing to major events and activities, holding charitable exhibitions, encouraging local industries, and preserving natural resources such as plants and water).
In order to achieve comprehensive scientific knowledge for the values of cultural landscape, it is possible to study:
- Studying the approaches to developing riverfronts and its impact on the values of cultural landscapes.
- Study the importance of cultural buildings and their role in the values of cultural landscapes.
- Examine the impact of cultural landscapes on the contemporary urban landscape.
- Clarifying the role of the values of cultural landscapes in achieving cultural identity.
- Studying the impact of the urban areas surrounding the cultural landscape on its different values.
[1] Shaker, R., Tolba, O., Fahmy, A. (2019). Socio-cultural divisions and urban waterfrontactivities: The case of El-minya City, Egypt. Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, 5(66): 1-23.
[2] Refaat, M.H. (2015). Urban architecture for sustaining local identity of cultural landscapes: A study of water front development in Khartoum, Sudan. International Journal of Development and Sustainability, 4(1): 29-59.
[3] Gunay, Z., Dokmeci, V. (2012). Culture-led regeneration of Istanbul waterfront: Golden horn cultural valley project. Cities, 29(4): 213-222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2011.08.010
[4] Kalantari, F., Mohd Tahir, O., Golkar, N., Ismail, N.A. (2015). Socio-cultural development of Tajan Riverfront, Sari, Iran. Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(27): 386-392.
[5] Alansari, E.N., Alomary, A.Y. (2022). Urban landscape design for riverfronts in Iraqi cities a comparative study between local and regional legislation. International Journal of Sustainable Development & Planning, 17(7): 2327-2333. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.170734
[6] Hasan, N.A., Mahdi, R.M., Zedan, S.K. (2019). Water urbanism analytical study of design principles in contemporary urban production. The Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning, 18(2): 71-86. https://doi.org/10.36041/iqjap.2019.169540
[7] Karteek, G. (2020). Framework for revatilizing the riverfront in urban areas. Aegaeum, 8(10): 1-13.
[8] Ilhan, B.Ş., Özdemir, Z. (2014). Public space production as a part of urban riverfront development scheme: a contemporary approach for Turkey, case of Amasya. In 50th ISOCARP Congress, pp. 1-12.
[9] Shetawy, A. (2017). The Nile River: River tourism, waterfront development and cultural ecosystems. Journal of Urban Research, 24(1): 104-119. https://doi.org/10.21608/jur.2017.88076
[10] Bahreldin, I. (2020). Beyond the riverside: An alternative sustainable vision for khartoum riverfront development. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 8(2): 113-126. https://doi.org/10.13189/cea.2020.080209
[11] Ali, S.M., Mohamed, A.N., El Sohafi, N. (2020). Towards a sustainable waterfront development “case study of Port Said City”. International Journal of Environmental Science, 5: 104-115.
[12] Ragheb, R.A. (2017). Sustainable waterfront development-A case study of Bahary in Alexandria, Egypt. Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 11(4): 380-394. https://doi.org/10.17265/1934-7359/2017.04.007
[13] Vian, F.D., Izquierdo, J.J.P., Martínez, M.S. (2021). River-city recreational interaction: A classification of urban riverfront parks and walks. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 59: 127042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127042
[14] Hussain, M.A., Idrus, N.A., Mohd Yunos, M.Y., Ismail, N.A., Mohd Ariffin, N.F., Ismail, S. (2020). The meanings of the cultural landscape in Pantai lido waterfront according to Malay oldies perspective. International Journal of Advance Science and Technology, 29(10): 1157-1172. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354543537
[15] Myga-Piątek, U.Z. (2011). Cultural landscape of the 21st century: Geographical consideration between theory and practice. Hrvatski Geografski Glasnik, 73(2): 129-140. https://doi.org/10.21861/HGG.2011.73.02.09
[16] Reid, M. (2011). Cultural landscape strategic plan {Managing the collection of Calgary’s cultural landscapes}. https://www.calgary.ca/content/dam/www/csps/parks/documents/planning-and-operations/cultural-landscape-strategic-plan.pdf.
[17] O’Donnell, P.M. (2008). Urban cultural landscapes and the spirit of place. In 16th ICOMOS General Assembly and International Symposium, Quebec, Canada, pp. 1-8.
[18] Thinnakorn, W., Anurak, T. (2022). Valuing cultural landscape heritage in historic areas: Proposed assessment criteria from Thailand. International Journal of Sustainable Development & Planning, 17(5): 1543-1551. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.170518
[19] Samsudin, P.Y., Maliki, N.Z. (2015). Preserving cultural landscape in homestay programme towards sustainable tourism: brief critical review concept. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 170: 433-441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.004
[20] Shen, J., Chou, R.J. (2021). Cultural landscape development integrated with rural revitalization: A case study of songkou ancient town. Land, 10(4): 406. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10040406
[21] Edani, H. (2012). Conservation and management of cultural landscapes. Paper of the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.
https://www.nara.accu.or.jp/el/textpdf/Conservation_and_Management_of_Cultural_Landscapes_(2012).pdf
[22] Smith, J. (2004). Definition and assessment of cultural landscapes of heritage value on NCC lands. Julian Smith & Assocciates.
[23] Hamad, A.A., Ismaeel, E.H. (2023). Integrative conservation for recovering the riverfront of Mosul Town. International Journal of Sustainable Development & Planning, 18(1): 41-51. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.180104
[24] Gibson, L. (2016). Cultural landscapes and identity. In: Valuing Historic Environments, Routledge, 67-92.
[25] Mahdi, R.M., Al-Kaissi, K.A. (2020). Active housing design that supports health. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 870(1): 012009. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/870/1/012009
[26] Kamel Ahmed, E. (2011). Decoding cultural landscapes: Guiding principles for the management of interpretation in cultural world heritage sites. Doctoral dissertation. The University of Nottingham. https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11845/2/Thesis--_final_submission.pdf
[27] Monette, E. (2014). [RE] Connection: Bringing purpose back to the waterfront. Redevelopment of Mcarthur Island, Carleton Place, Ontario. Master dissertation. Carleton University. https://doi.org/10.22215/etd/2014-10285
[28] Hasan, N.A. (2020). The spatial organization strategies of productive cities. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, IOP Publishing, 881(1): 012021. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/881/1/012021
[29] Ioan, I., Irina, S., Valentina, S.I., Daniela, Z. (2014). Perennial values and cultural landscapes resilience. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 122: 225-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1332
[30] Abbawi, R.F., Karam, M. (2017). Natural dimension in ecological aesthetic of riverside landscape. Engineering and Technology Journal, 35(1C): 75-94. https://doi.org/10.30684/etj.35.1C.6
[31] Verbrugge, L., Buchecker, M., Garcia, X., Gottwald, S., Müller, S., Præstholm, S., Stahl Olafsson, A. (2019). Integrating sense of place in planning and management of multifunctional river landscapes: Experiences from five European case studies. Sustainability Science, 14(3): 669-680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-019-00686-9
[32] Ibrahim, N.K., Abbawi, R.F.N. (2020). The role of landscape in achieving (ageing in place) within multi-story housing projects. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, IOP Publishing, 881(1): 012022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/881/1/012022
[33] Jamali, Mosler, S. (2014). The role of cultural ecosystem services in Urban riverscape restoration. In Proceeding of the Fifth International Cultural Landscape Conference: Urban Cultural Landscape Past: Present and Future, Tehran, Iran. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.4550.1129
[34] Markaryan, A.S., Al-Zaidi, B.M. (2019). Sustainability of architectural heritage elements “an applied study of the Basra City corniche from the establishment to the present”. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, IOP Publishing, 518(2): 022021. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/518/2/022021
[35] Al-Basrah municipality begins formation of presidential palace complex. https://www.basrapress24.com/%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%A6%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1/.
