Historic Urban Landscapes and Heritage Systems as the Basis for Sustainable Urban Development

Matthias Ripp (), Christer Gustafsson, Zachary Jones, Sushobhan Majumdar and Manal Ginzarly
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Matthias Ripp: City of Regensburg Department of Cultural Heritage, Rathausplatz 4, 93047 Regensburg, Germany
Christer Gustafsson: Department of Archaeology, Ancient History and Conservation, Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
Zachary Jones: Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Politecnico Di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Sushobhan Majumdar: Department of Geography, Pandit Raghunath Murmu Smriti Mahavidyalaya, Bankura 722150, India
Manal Ginzarly: ArGEnCo, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-22

Abstract: Since the 1970s, the understanding of cultural heritage (CH) has expanded from a focus on monumental conservation to a systemic, socially constructed concept shaped by communities and dynamic values. While recognized as a resource for sustainable development, CH remains marginal in global policy agendas, notably in the UN’s 2030 Agenda. This paper explores how the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach and broader heritage systems can function as enablers of sustainable urban development, moving beyond heritage-as-object to heritage-as-process. It synthesizes conceptual advances, policy frameworks, and empirical cases—such as Capitals of Culture programs, adaptive reuse initiatives, and circular economy models—to analyze how heritage systems contribute to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Drawing on a value-based and people-centered framework, the paper identifies key principles, models, and success factors for integrating CH into urban planning. Case studies from Europe and Asia illustrate the potential of heritage to foster inclusive governance, community resilience, and innovation, while also exposing challenges such as institutional fragmentation, gentrification, and policy–practice gaps. The findings highlight the need for holistic, cross-sectoral, and participatory strategies to embed CH meaningfully in urban transformation processes, offering concrete insights for advancing heritage-led sustainable development through the lens of systems thinking.

Keywords: historic urban landscape; heritage systems; cultural heritage; heritage values; sustainable urban development; community engagement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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