Historic Rural Landscapes: agrarian past and sustainable future for inland Costa del Sol.
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(version en français ci-dessous)
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The research by design project "Historic Rural Landscapes: agrarian past and sustainable future for inland Costa del Sol", developed as the final thesis for the MSc in Architectural Design and History, explored the potential of a heritage-led approach to development in a rural landscape. Developed between 2019 and 2022 under the supervision of Dr Chiara Lanzoni, the project focuses on the case study of Casares, southern Spain. The project was presented to the examination board of the Politecnico di Milano in October 2022, receiving full marks and an honourable mention.
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Abstract
Around the Mediterranean coastline, fast and uncontrolled urban development has created a dramatic transformation of the landscape and a deep contrast between the touristic coastal plain and the underdeveloped hinterland. In between them, thin slivers of former agricultural landscapes are caught in a dualistic system opposing rural and natural systems, and are struggling for their survival. What is the future of these landscapes? How can they help to bridge the gap between natural and human, between the city and the nature? This project aims to explore these questions through a practical case study located in the Costa del Sol (Málaga). The historic town of Casares, located 10 kilometres inland, was founded in the 8th century as a checkpoint on the inland route between the coast and the mountains. Based on Islamic irrigation methods, it developed a prosperous agrarian economy along the fertile Guadiaro valley and the surrounding hills. In the past 30 years, the town has seen massive touristic development along the coastline, social and cultural changes and a progressive abandonment of its agrarian landscape. In the face of this drastic change, what can its heritage offer to guide development on a more sustainable path? What are the values of its rural landscape that could help create better settlements and improve the quality of life of its residents? To address these questions, the project explores the value and potential of landscape as heritage. Growing from the existing literature on cultural and rural landscapes, it identifies the best tools and methodologies to understand this landscape, and potential strategies for its conservation and development. This knowledge is used to delve into an in-depth analysis of the landscape, offering some key points that could form the basis of a heritage-led future development. While these conclusions are specific to the case study, the exercise will bring light to the heritage values and potential of everyday landscapes, building towards their valorisation and conservation. |