 |
"Real isn't how you are made. It is a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time... then you become real." The Velveteen Rabbit, Watership Down.
|
 |
| Humans are programmed to form relationships. |
North
Americans' understanding of the term “relationship” can be defined as a
correlation, kinship or the way we regard or behave toward each other.
Humans are programmed to
form a variety of relationships. These include: pleasant
acquaintances you greet regularly on the street, respectful interactions forged
at work, supportive friendships developed over time, bonds of family members
and the hopeful spark of loving attraction. All these relationships have
a role to play in forming our understanding of our place in the world.
Cultural Landscapes are the
manifestation of intimate human relationships with the environment. The outward
manifestations of these relationships, provide insight into ideas, beliefs, and
philosophical paradigms of the community that shaped them. Cultural Landscapes
are physical narratives of our culture and reflect our collective
identity.
Categories of Cultural Landscapes
Cultural Landscapes cover a wide range of ways we relate to our environment. They define our relationship to our surroundings over time and across the globe. The Cultural Landscape Foundation fits our interactions into four basic categories: Designed Landscapes, Vernacular Landscapes, Ethnographic Landscapes and Historical Site Landscapes.
Designed
Landscapes
Designed Landscapes are those intentionally created by man. This includes gardens and parks. They may be created by trained professionals using design principles or by amateur working with recognized styles.
Vernacular Landscapes
Vernacular
Landscapes are occupied by people whose
everyday activities organically cause
the landscape to evolve. The landscape can be used to interpret the physical,
biological, and cultural character of the culture. Vernacular Landscapes fall
into two sub-categories:
- A landscape that has distinguishing
features that are evidence of a past interaction with the everyday life of an
absent culture.
- A landscape associated with the traditional
way of life that is still actively evolving with the living society over time.
Ethnographic Landscapes are those that contain significant natural and cultural resources. These resources are significant to people of the region, who value their religious, artistic, or cultural associations.
Historic
Site Landscapes
Landscapes of Historic Sites can be an integral part of past events, activities, or person.
