Moving from Landscapes to Cityscapes and Back: Theoretical and Applied Approaches to Human Environment

One common topic of the essays included in the present volume is urban environment. Urban environment or cityscape has been traditionally contrasted with landscape since the latter was identified with rural or wild nature. However, there is no reason not to treat it as a particular form of landscape. Another premise of the present volume is the idea that in spite of the fact that landscapes cannot be understood solely in aesthetic terms, the aesthetic qualities of landscapes are of primary importance. The way people aesthetically experience their surroundings is decisive not only for their well-being but also for how they experience their environs in general, and thus how these environments become meaningful to them. It is crucial to notice that their aesthetic qualities may be numerous – from spectacular beauty to familiar everydayness – and may depend on various factors – from the known past of a particular place to the expected future of the whole planet.