The historic urban landscape of Florence. Critical survey and redevelopment of the urban landscape

In the last forum UNESCO – University and Heritage, held in Hanoi in April 2009 in the Final Declaration, the historic urban landscapes are defined as an “expression of cultural diversity resulting from a permanent and continuous process of cultural layering that has tangible form to which symbolic and intangible values are attached and understood through sensory perception, local knowledge and investigation of the interconnections between these layers.”1 The project “The historical centre of Florence in transformation. Critical survey for the requalification of the urban landscape” is carried out in conjunction with the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence and the Region of Tuscany and is partially funded by the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. It fulfils a role of specific interest in the UNESCO site of Florence management plan (Plan of action for research and awareness), with the goal of establishing a jurisdiction over the landscape. It will be under constant monitoring on behalf of the UNESCO Office of the City of Florence2. Within the various aspects that will be considered, attention will be especially given to the number of noted panoramic or belvedere sites. The project3: Today the Historical Centre of Florence, recognized by UNESCO in 1982, World Estate of the People, is a magnet of attraction at both national and international scale. This leads to the urban and rural landscape to change constantly. The theme of sustainable changes, intended to act as a balance between economic goals, overseeing of resources and quality of the environment is today a central theme when planning at all levels. In order to have a deeper understanding, jurisdiction, conservation and development of the site, we suggest a method of evaluation and a critical analysis of the urban landscape largely experimented during the last years in the scientific and professional fields, based on visual perception analysis, as well as qualitative surveying.