2016 | Land-Gardens

Today, cities are redefining their relationships with the natural world, spurring a new style that will surely alter the dynamic between the city, man-made landscapes, and nature.  Nature is no longer seen as the antithesis of the city and civilized life, something to control, one the one hand, and to imitate for urban dweller’s social and physical heath, on the other.   Rather, it is seen as a persuasive branding tool that will enhance the city’s image, attract development, and propel the economy forward. Presently, the urban landscape is often used as a spotlight to illuminate to the relationship between city and its periphery – the periuban, the suburbs, the countryside – and to reassess and question these relationships as well as the role of nature and its inherent power, our dependency on and stewardship of nature, and the prevailing image of nature. This book calls us to reflect on the role of the landscape in cities in Israel, and the ways in which planning strategies, policies, and practices, and, also, people, are altering it.