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International Conference on “Cultural Heritage and Spatial Planning”​

Information about the conference

When: 11-12 October 2022 (pre-conference training sessions), 13-14 October 2022 (conference)

Where: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

What: networking, training, workshopping and agenda setting on Cultural Heritage and Spatial Planning, Democratisation, Inclusivity, Migration, Multicultural Society, Digitisation and Climate Change

Who: students, juniors and seniors, professionals and academics. Contributors  include Rodney Harrison, Francesco Bandarin, Kalliopi Fouseki, Henk Scholten, Ana Pereira Roders, Mike Turner, Els Verbakel, Sam Turner, Graham Fairclough, Linde Egberts, Gert-Jan Burgers, Pieter Wagenaar,
Ola Wetterberg, Maria Segarra Lagunes, Henk Scholten and Niels van Manen

You are cordially invited to the international conference on Cultural Heritage and Spatial Planning, organised by the EU Marie Curie Innovative Training Network HERILAND. Since 2019, Heriland has offered training to 15 PhD researchers at six universities across Europe and Israel. They have studied heritage through the lens of spatial planning and with an eye to major societal challenges such as Democratisation, Inclusivity, Migration, Multicultural Society, Digitisation and Climate Change.
At the conference, the Heriland consortium will share its findings with an international audience of academic and societal partners, including EU officials, UNESCO chairs, policymakers and businesses. The goal is to set an international agenda for training, research and policy in the field of heritage and spatial planning.
The programme consists of high-profile keynotes, training sessions interactive workshops, networking and job matching sessions and a public debate There are special training programmes for MA-/PhD-students and young professionals.  

Agenda

(all times are CEST)

Pre-conference agenda

13.30-14.00: Walk in and registration – Main Building – entrance

14.00-15.30: Two parallel training sessions:

1) Historic Landscape Characterisation –  Agora1

2) UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape Recommendations – Aurora

15.30-16.00: Short break

16.00-17.00: Two parallel training sessions:

1) Historic Landscape Characterisation –  Agora1

2) UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape Recommendations – Aurora

Aim and target groups of the parallel sessions: The training sessions are targeting Master’s students, early stage PhD students and young professionals. They concern two key methods developed by Heriland scholars, UNESCO’s Historic Landscape approach and Historic Landscape Characterization. The aims of the sessions are to: (i) expand the network of trainees beyond the Heriland PhDs; (ii) apply the didactic principles developed in Heriland and share some of the major outcomes of our research strategies; (iii) identify with the participants how the training connects with and brings to the next level their previous education and research and professional experience; (iv) enthusiase the participants for further training in heritage planning.

Number of participants: max. 30 per session

Format: The sessions have a strong hands-on character, i.e. they take the form of an interactive workshop with assignments rather than lecture style.

Training session 1: Unesco Historic Urban Landscape approach (HUL)

Coordination: Komal PotdarAna Pereira Roders, Mike Turner,

HUL offers a tool to integrate policies and practices of conservation of the built environment into the wider goals of urban development. Crucial to HUL is that it undertakes comprehensive surveys and mapping of a city’s natural, cultural and human resources, in respect of the inherited values and traditions of different cultural contexts and using participatory planning and stakeholder consultations. Moreover, it suggests mechanisms for the coordination of the various activities between different actors, both public and private. In this workshop participants will be trained in the key aspects of HUL.

Training session 2: Historic Landscape Characterization

Coordination: Sam TurnerGraham Fairclough

Historic landscape characterisation (HLC) is a method of identification and interpretation of the varying historic character within an area that looks beyond individual heritage assets; it brigades understanding of the whole landscape and townscape into repeating HLC Types. It reveals the patterns and connections within a landscape, spatially and through time. It also enables consideration of inter-relationships between places, and it provides a framework for the recording and evaluation of the views and perceptions of people, such as their experiences and memories. In this workshop participants will be trained in the key aspects of HLC

09.00-09.30: Walk in and registration – Main Building – entrance

09.30-11.00: Two parallel training sessions:

1) Historic Landscape Characterisation –  Aurora

2) UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape Recommendations – Agora1

11.00-11.30: Short break

11.30-12.30: Two parallel training sessions:

1) Historic Landscape Characterisation –  Aurora

2) UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape Recommendations – Agora1

Aim and target groups of the parallel sessions: The training sessions are targetting Master’s students, early stage PhD students and young professionals. They concern two key methods developed by Heriland scholars, UNESCO’s Historic Landscape approach and Historic Landscape Characterization. The aims of the sessions are to: (i) expand the network of trainees beyond the Heriland PhDs; (ii) apply the didactic principles developed in Heriland and share some of the major outcomes of our research strategies; (iii) identify with the participants how the training connects with and brings to the next level their previous education and research and professional experience; (iv) enthusiase the participants for further training in heritage planning.

Number of participants: max. 30 per session

Format: The sessions have a strong hands-on character, i.e. they take the form of an interactive workshop with assignments rather than lecture style.

Training session 1: Unesco Historic Urban Landscape approach (HUL)

Coordination: Komal PotdarAna Pereira RodersMike Turner,

HUL offers a tool to integrate policies and practices of conservation of the built environment into the wider goals of urban development. Crucial to HUL is that it undertakes comprehensive surveys and mapping of a city’s natural, cultural and human resources, in respect of the inherited values and traditions of different cultural contexts and using participatory planning and stakeholder consultations. Moreover, it suggests mechanisms for the coordination of the various activities between different actors, both public and private. In this workshop participants will be trained in the key aspects of HUL.

Training session 2: Historic Landscape Characterization

CoordinationSam TurnerGraham Fairclough

Historic landscape characterisation (HLC) is a method of identification and interpretation of the varying historic character within an area that looks beyond individual heritage assets; it brigades understanding of the whole landscape and townscape into repeating HLC Types. It reveals the patterns and connections within a landscape, spatially and through time. It also enables consideration of inter-relationships between places, and it provides a framework for the recording and evaluation of the views and perceptions of people, such as their experiences and memories. In this workshop participants will be trained in the key aspects of HLC.

Conference agenda

09.00-09.30: Walk in and registration – Auditorium level

09.30-10.00: Welcome from the VU Rector Prof. Dr. Jeroen Geurts, the director of the Dutch Heritage Board (RCE) Henk Baas and HERILAND project coordinator Prof. Dr. Gert-Jan BurgersAuditorium

10.00-10.45: Key note lecture Prof. Dr. Sennay Ghebreab  Auditorium

10.45-11.30: Walk in and coffee break – Foyer Agora 1/2/3 and Foyer Forum2

11.30-13.00: Parallel workshops* on

1) Heritage and the Spatial Turn –  Agora2

2) Heritage and Democratisation –  Forum2

3) Heritage, Shifting Demographies and Contested Identities –  Agora3

4) Heritage and Changing Environments – Agora1 + Foyer

13.00-14.30: Lunch – Boelelaanzijde / auditorium level

14.30-15.30: Parallel workshops* on

1) Heritage and the Spatial Turn – Room Aurora

2) Heritage and Democratisation – Room Forum2

3) Heritage, Shifting Demographies and Contested Identities – Room Agora3 

4) Heritage and Changing Environments – Room Agora1  

15.30-17.15: Networking session (drinks and food) – Boelelaanzijde / auditorium level

17:30-18:15: Keynote lecture Prof. Dr. Rodney Harrison Auditorium

18:15-19:00: Keynote lecture Prof. Dr. Francesco Bandarin Auditorium

19.00-21.00: Drinks and food – Boelelaanzijde / auditorium level

* Parallel workshops on (1) ‘Heritage and the Spatial Turn’, (2) ‘Heritage and Democratisation’ (3) ‘Heritage, Shifting Demographies and Contested Identities’, (4) ‘Heritage and Changing Environments’ 

Aim and target groups: The Heriland project approaches heritage in relation to the above societal challenges. To that aim it has theorized and developed design and planning strategies and tools. In the workshops we wish to compare these with strategies and tools current in the field, to identify their societal impact, strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, we are pleased to invite to the workshops colleagues, researchers, professional practitioners, policy makers, funding agencies and master and PhD students working on heritage and the above challenges. Each workshop will concentrate on one of the above challenges.

Format: each workshop has plenary sessions as well as smaller group sessions; interaction is key in both. Participants are facilitated in sharing their strategies, tools, experiences and ideas for the future. The workshops are moderated by the Heriland PhD researchers and their societal partners. 

Workshop 1: The Spatial Turn

Workshop 2: Democratization

Workshop 3: Shifting demographies and contested identities

Workshop 4: Changing Environments

08.30-09.00: Walk in and registration – Auditorium level

09.00-09.15: Welcome and opening session – Auditorium

09.15-09.45: Key note lecture Prof. Dr. Kalliopi FousekiAuditorium 

09.45-10.15: Key note lecture Prof. Dr. Henk Scholten – Auditorium 

10.15-10.45: Coffee break – Boelelaanzijde / auditorium level

10.45-12.15: Three parallel sessions on agenda setting for heritage planning:

agenda setting for heritage planning: (1) training- Aurora; (2) research-Auditorium; (3) policy-Forum2

Aim and target groups: The aim of these round tables is to enhance the impact of Heriland by exchanging our ideas about future agendas with those of peers in academia, society and funding agencies. Thus we wish to establish a common agenda, on: (i) how university and post academic training should be organized, so as to build a new generation of heritage planners according to Heriland lines? (ii) what lacunae in our knowledge still need thorough investigation and along which lines? (iii) how can/should local, national and European policies be adapted to conform to the latest standards in heritage planning?

Format: round table discussions, moderated by Heriland senior scholars. 

Round table 1: setting the agenda in training

ConvenorsLinde EgbertsNiels van Manen

The overriding aim of HERILAND is to train a new generation of heritage professionals and academics, who can devise strategies for regenerating heritage and landscape, fostering social inclusiveness and creating sustainable landscapes. To that aim HERILAND set out to define new training standards, which transcend the still strongly institutionalised boundaries between countries and academic disciplines; with an emphasis on transdisciplinary concepts, methods and tools, grounded in theoretical reflection  and tested in practice. In this round table, we wish to refine these training standards by discussing them with colleagues in the field.

Round table 2: setting the agenda in research

Convenors: Ola WetterbergGert-Jan Burgers

In the face of great social challenges, the cultural heritage sector is often considered an obstacle to innovation. Yet, research indicates that when the sector opens up its boundaries and integrates landscape management and spatial planning, heritage can become a positive driver, a stimulus for social inclusiveness and an anchor for sustainability. With this new vision, HERILAND has set up a transdisciplinary research framework addressing societal, ethical and spatial questions, e.g. on democratization, changing environments, shifting demographies and contested identities.  In this round table we explicitly wish to evaluate future research lines together with colleagues in the field.

Round table 3: setting the agenda in policy

Convenors: Graham FaircloughAna Pereira Roders

In Europe, the outlines of the new heritage vision mentioned above, have emerged during the last two decades, partly codified by the Council of Europe in 2005 with the Faro Convention ‘on the value of heritage for society’, prefigured by the European Landscape Convention in 2000. World-wide, the new paradigm is promoted through the UNESCO Recommendations on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL). Yet, national policy arrangements differ notoriously and many are still object-centred and geared towards protection against social and spatial dynamics. In this round table, we aim to evaluate how the new vision can be translated into policy at international, national and local levels.

12.15-12.30: Walk in – Auditorium 

12.30-13.15: Closing debate – Auditorium:

Plenary discussion of the outcomes of the parallel sessions

13.15-14.15: Lunch – Boelelaanzijde / auditorium level

14.15-17.00: Excursion to Heritage Planning Sites in Amsterdam

We will visit a heritage planning site in Amsterdam. It will be a short commute from the conference venue. A good opportunity to learn about heritage planning practices in The Netherlands and, in the process, to socialise and network with other conference participants.

Keynote speakers

Professor of Heritage Studies

UCL Institute of Archaeology, 

University College London 

Professor in Sustainable Heritage Management 

Barlett School, Env, Energy and Resources

 

Former Director of 

UNESCO Heritage Centre

Professor in Socially-Intelligent AI 

University of Amsterdam

Prof. Henk Scholten

Professor in Spatial Informatics at the Faculty of Economics 

University of Amsterdam

Travel information

VU Amsterdam as a single campus university is located at the heart of the Zuidas Knowledge District. You can already enjoy a virtual tour of the campus and its buildings here.

Situated in the south part of the city, you can easily reach VU Amsterdam by public transport. If you want to decide whether to travel by train or by plane, please consult this train zone map.

Arriving by plane: If you arrive at Schiphol Airport, you can take the train (departing from the airport) to Amsterdam Zuid Station (6-7 min). From there, it is a 10-minute walk to the VU Campus. Alternatively, you can take Bus 341 from the airport to Amsterdam Zuid Station (25 min), exit: de Boelelaan /VU.

Arriving by train: If you arrive at Amsterdam Central station, you can take the Metro 52 (direction Station Zuid – 10min ) or Metro 51 (direction Isolatorweg – 15 min) and get off at Amsterdam Zuid station. From there, it is a 10-minute walk to the VU Campus. Alternatively, you can take the Tram 24 direction VU medical centre (35 min), exit: de Boelelaan /VU.

Further information: For more information, check this route description.

Hotels: A lot of hotels are situated on walking distance or using the tram to the VU. Some hotels we recommend are: CitizenM, Crown Plaza, Hotel Beethoven, Olympic Hotel, NOW hotel