Features
Finding the Spirit of Place
Norwich: People And Places from icomos-uk on Vimeo.
To build, to plant, whatever you intend,
To rear the column, or the arch to bend,
To swell the terrace, or to sink the grot;
In all, let Nature never be forgot.
(Epistle IV. From a poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744))
Finding the spirit of place has been at the heart of much of British cultural landscape design since the early 18th century. It was at this time that many architects, designers and planners became very concerned about how the Industrial Revolution was causing places to lose their sense of place and their long-standing connections with their natural and historic surroundings.
The idea that the spirit of place (often referred to in its Latin form as genius loci) should inform how built surroundings were created, inspired not only the design and materials for gardens, towns and buildings but also poetry, art, literature and politics. The idea lived on through the first half of the 20th century but the atrocities and hardships caused by World War 2 (1939-45) somewhat dampened feelings for the 'Old Country' and the individuality of its places and regions was no longer seen as important as functional modernisation.
Finding and keeping the spirit of place has also influenced much of the advice and guidance that ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) and its national committees (such as ICOMOS-UK) provides those who manage World Heritage Sites and other import cultural conservation areas. In October 2008, ICOMOS's General Assembly in Quebec, Canada - a three-yearly global gathering of heritage and conservation professionals and campaigners - will address how spirit of place can be used as a positive force in conservation, regeneration and sustainability.
"...spirit of place is continually being shaped and transformed by the relationships it maintains with those who, when contemplating the value of this cultural heritage, discover the presence of the spirit that inhabits it." (ICOMOS - Thinking together about spirit of place)
This on-going web feature on ‘Finding the Spirit of Place’ will explore different ways in which the historic environment, cultural, tourism and heritage sectors are using the concept of a spirit or sense of place to bring value to local communities that live in the areas that people visit. It will primarily be based on a series of three workshops which took place between 2006 and 2008. The Norwich Accord is a proposal for a charter which was discussed at the end of the last workshop in Norwich. ICOMOS-UK members will be debating this Accord online and as consensus develops we shall be posting more information as part of this feature.
Finding the Spirit of Place is an initiative of the ICOMOS-UK Cultural Tourism Committee.