Whither Designed Landscapes inside the World Heritage Programme in the Asia-Pacific Arena

A critical gap exists in the recognition of 'designed landscapes' within UNESCO World Heritage Sites, particularly those lacking associations with religious or monumental structures. While current criteria (e.g., criterion ii) prioritize architecture and town-planning, intentional landscape designs—such as those by Frank Lloyd Wright, Capability Brown, or Burle Marx—are underrepresented. This study reveals that Western-centric precedents overlook the rich ancient histories of Asia-Pacific regions like Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, and Vietnam, which possess distinct designed landscapes and contemporary parklands. It surveys World Heritage-listed properties in the region to highlight unrecognized places and issues pertinent to designed landscapes, challenging conventional definitions and advocating for broader, more inclusive criteria.

Jones, D. S. (2022). Whither Designed Landscapes inside the World Heritage Programme in the Asia-Pacific Arena. The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Landscape Heritage in the Asia-Pacific, 100–112. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003099994-7