Operationalizing the HUL Recommendation in Urban River Corridors: Challenges and Perspectives

Abstract

This article proposes to consider urban river corridors as historic landscapes and an integral component of our common heritage and collective memory. It acknowledges the range of cultural values associated with urban rivers as well as the role of the latter in shaping the city through history, thereby contributing to our identity and sense of place. It reflects on the application of the historic urban landscape (HUL) recommendation in urban river corridors. The article focuses on a double-lens approach that combines morphological/ecological analysis on one hand and cognitive representations of everyday landscapes and practices on the other hand. This paper further proposes an assessment of the efficiency of current legislative and institutional framework for heritage conservation. It takes the historic core in the city of Tripoli, Lebanon, as a case study where conservation practices have followed a monument-centric approach, neglecting the cultural value of the Abu Ali River flowing through the city. It concludes with a SWOT analysis to highlight how best to operationalize the HUL recommendation in urban river corridors.