Advances in representation tools for built environment assessment

Environmental representation through the documentation of typological components of settlements and landscape, i.e. landscape zones, patterns, architectural types, textures, materials, color and community intangible issues, is devised to address design strategies. Explanation of landscapes’ values through its benchmarking, consists of several mapping actions and adoption of tools: 3D modelling, environmental mapping, places representation. The chapter presents a strategic process based on local character assessment through a place-visualizing toolkit from documentation and color representation to design coding: visualization of landscape’ values and multimedia survey pipelines implementing processes, methods and tools for the narration of tangible values and intangible assets. On 10 November 2011 UNESCO’s General Conference adopted the new Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape by acclamation, the first such instrument on the historic environment issued by UNESCO in 35 years. The Recommendation is a “soft-law” to be implemented by Member States on a voluntary basis. The historic urban landscape (HUL) is the urban area understood as the result of a historic layering of cultural and natural values and attributes, extending the “historic center” or “ensemble” concept to include the broader urban context and its geographical setting. This wider context includes notably the site’s topography, geomorphology, hydrology and natural features, its built environment, both historic and contemporary, its infrastructures above and below ground, its open spaces and gardens, its land use patterns and spatial organization, perceptions and visual relationships, as well as all other elements of the urban structure. It also includes social and cultural practices and values, economic processes and the intangible dimensions of heritage as related to diversity and identity. This paper presents a strategic process based on local character assessment through a place-visualizing toolkit that includes urban identity and pattern analysis, color representation and design codes. The process has been tested on the information and documentation systems of some historic urban landscapes in Italy.