Edinburgh World Heritage
June 2013
Mapping the World
Heritage Site
Community mapping as a
sustainable management tool
SCOPING REPORT
As part of the
Climate Challenge Fund,
this project is funded by:
2
Report prepared by: Chiara Ronchini
Annapaola Bornioli
3
Foreword
“Some places simply demand a story to be told of them…”
New Town born Robert Louis Stevenson”
When Edinburgh World Heritage first embarked on this Community
Mapping Project in January 2012, we realised that mapping was a really
effective tool to encourage walking, whilst carrying out participatory
planning and interpreting the World Heritage Site.
Following the idea of applying Patrick Geddes‟ and Kevin Lynch‟s theories
to create active travel and cognitive maps, our first experimental
workshops were both great fun and really valuable, as they portrayed a
very unique and personal image of Edinburgh‟s Old and New Towns.
Later on in 2013 we were able to run more community mapping
workshops, in order to incorporate more views of the city and involve
more „user groups‟ such as students, children, workers and senior citizens
into the project. The result has been extremely creative and positive, with
over 120 people participating in the workshops and as many maps been
produced over only a three-month period.
We are currently looking at putting together these 120 individual maps
into one collective map of Edinburgh, which we believe is going to be
very different from more „regular‟ Edinburgh maps. In line with UNESCO‟s
Historic Urban Landscapes Recommendation, thanks to participatory
mapping we were able to identify what tangible, intangible, cultural and
natural elements are seen as „valuable‟ by Edinburgh‟s users.
As this project demonstrates, heritage becomes very personal as people‟s
stories can be connected to any corner of our city. This project aims to
value these stories, and show a different Edinburgh, as perceived by its
people.
Chiara Ronchini, Energy Efficiency Manager with Edinburgh World Heritage
4
Executive summary
Introduction and goals
The purpose of this report is to develop an outline for the community
mapping project “Mapping the World Heritage Site (MWHS) – Community
Mapping as a sustainable management tool”1, as part of Edinburgh World
Heritage‟s Climate Challenge Fund activities.
The project aims to encourage the reduction of carbon emissions, whilst
promoting the value of urban heritage, as interpreted by the World
Heritage Site's local communities and users, following UNESCO
Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscape.
Main references
The main reference for the project is Kevin Lynch‟s work The image of the
city, which explores the vision of the city as analysed and interpreted by
its inhabitants. Also, research for this report includes a review of the main
baseline projects taken as case studies:
1. Common Ground‟s Parish Maps, a methodology emerged in
England and then introduced in several English towns and in
Piedmont eco-museums in Italy.
2. The London-based social entrepreneurship Mapping for Change,
specialised in the development of community maps through IT
technologies.
3. Glasgow‟s Participatory Health Impact Assessment for the East End
Local Development Strategy through “creative consultations”
consisting of notes, sketches, photographs and scrapbooks
produced by inhabitants.
4. Magnaghi‟s Development Plan for Montespertoli Municipality (Italy),
developed through a participatory process of community mapping.
5. Australian Aboriginal Mapping, a study aimed to analyse the way in
which Aborigines view and experience the land through the
analysis of traditional songs, poems, dance.
6. IFAD Participatory Mapping, a project aimed to address conflict-
related issues and improve community ownership through
sustainable management of environmental and natural resources in
Specific Livelihoods Systems (Pastoralists, Indigenous Peoples, Forest
Dwellers).
1 From now on, MWHS
5
Proposed methodology
The proposed methodology for MWHS is structured around a series of 10-
15- people workshops with several target groups within the Site – residents,
workers, tourists, students, children, elderly etc. – in which participants are
asked to draw a specific daily itinerary within the Site. The structure of the
workshops is going to be tailored to the different target groups.
The expected outputs are a final report containing the results of the
analysis, which is going to be used for a future publication, and a final
exhibition containing the material from the workshops.
Outputs and outcomes
The project is expected to produce positive outcomes in the several areas
involved:
1. Sustainability: saving 20 tonnes of CO2 through walking during daily
journeys – to work, to school, to go shopping, etc. - in a year period;
incentivising people to walk for their short journeys in their daily
activities.
2. Awareness/Interpretation: raising individual awareness during
workshops and getting insights on both tangible and intangible
elements of the urban heritage.
3. Management: contributing in defining the “genetic code” of the
city; contributing to the drafting and implementation of urban
planning/ urban development policies; involving the stakeholders in
managerial issues; creating a database.
Structure of the report
The report includes an introductory part illustrating the theoretical
background of the project, the main baseline case studies, contents,
goals and expected outputs. The second section contains the operational
plan, the proposed methodology and a preliminary analysis of the
expected outputs. The report concludes by identifying the expected
outcomes.
6
PART ONE
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
THEORIES
1. Background and motivations
1.1. The Historic Urban Landscape approach
Set within Edinburgh World Heritage's broader sustainability agenda,
MWHS aims to encourage the reduction of carbon emissions, whilst
promoting the value of urban heritage as interpreted by the World
Heritage Site's local communities and users. The definition of urban
heritage itself is now being reconsidered and expanded by policy makers,
whose focus is increasingly directed towards the central role played by
urban areas.
In particular, according to the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic
Urban Landscape,
“The historic urban landscape is the urban area understood as the
result of a historic layering of cultural and natural values and
attributes, extending beyond the notion of “historic centre” or
“ensemble” to include the broader urban context and its
geographical setting”2.
Following this Recommendation, the definition includes not only the
elements of the urban structure such as the site‟s topography, its built
environment and its open spaces, but also intangible elements such as
social and cultural practices and values, economic processes, diversity
and identity elements3. In this scenario, local authorities are
recommended to recognise the important role of historic areas in modern
societies through policies able to balance conservation and sustainability
in both the short and long terms4.
Community mapping can be considered as an effective tool to achieve
this, as it provides civic engagement, artistic interpretation and
participatory and planning knowledge. It empowers a diverse cross-
2 UNESCO 2011, p. 52
3 UNESCO 2011, p. 52
4 UNESCO 2011, p. 53
7
section of stakeholders to identify key values in their urban areas and
enables their visualisation. Such initiatives can contribute, in the short-
medium term, to monitoring and managing the urban space and, in the
long term, to safeguarding the heritage and promoting sustainable
development.
1.2. Community mapping theories
1.2.1. What is community mapping
Community maps are a way to create a comprehensive picture of an
area through the eyes of those who inhabit the space. The process of
community mapping aims to make the association between land and
local communities visible by using the direct and easy language of
cartography5.
What sets community mapping apart from a statistical survey or any other
scientific method is the ability of the community to decide what to
include and what to exclude from the maps. In this sense, there are no
right or wrong outcomes, nor any rules on scales, boundaries, symbols or
elements that the map should include. In fact, a community map
becomes an expression of the genius loci – the spirit of place – depicting
both tangible and intangible elements6.
The vision behind community mapping is that “places are human
creations”7, and we can fully understand the sense of place through its
stories, shared meanings and identities. At the same time, we are
ourselves part of it8, as also our existence is shaped by places: “nothing is
experienced by itself, but always in relation to its surroundings, the
sequences of events leading up to it, the memory of past experiences
[…]. Every citizen has had long associations with some part of his city, and
his image is soaked in memories and meanings”9.
In line with it, community mapping is a way to analyse the relationship
between the city and its inhabitants by answering to the following
questions: what are the most relevant elements of places and what are
their meanings? Why is that place unique? What are the values attached
to the image of the city?10
5 IFAD 2008
6 Clifford et al. 2006, p. 3
7 Ibid. p. 1
8 Lynch K. 1960, p. 2
9 Ibid. p. 1
10 Clifford et al. 2006, p. 2
8
Nowadays maps are in effect a second language, as we are supported
by numerous way-finding devices as street names, route signs, bus
placards11, GPS system on our mobiles, etc. However, observing a map as
drawn from the local viewpoint can become even more meaningful – an
Australian map drawn from Australians viewpoint becomes upside down,
as the North is on the bottom12 – as it contains the essence of the “local”,
which is the most real form of knowledge.
1.2.2. The image of the city
MWHS is based on the work, dated 1960, of Kevin Lynch, American
architect and urban planner, who explores the vision of the city as
analysed and interpreted by its inhabitants. Lynch worked on the
meaning that people give to their cities by using the concept of
imageability, or how easy is for people to understand the layout of a
place. The concept of imageability can be measure by analysing how
clear and well defined the shape of a city is by looking at its fundamental
elements: paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks.
According to Lynch, the image of the city can be represented through
individual mind maps, which represent the personal perception of the city
through the individual‟s visual representation of daily life. Then, the sum of
individual maps can help discern the “public image” of the city, which is
“the common mental picture carried by a large number of a city‟s
inhabitants”13. This image can be analysed through three main
components: identity – the elements which make each city unique
amongst others; structure – the way in which the image is spatially formed;
and meaning – the values attached to the image.
To do so, Lynch developed several methods:
- Itineraries: asking for directions from a starting point to another
location.
- Drawing of a map: asking people to draw a sketch map of an area
and identifying the most distinctive elements.
- Verbal interviews: asking people to name as many places as
possible in a short period of time.
Lynch‟s research represents the starting point for MWHS.
11
Lynch K.1960, p. 2 12
Clifford et al. 2006, p. 3 13
Lynch 1960, p. 7
9
2. Idea and content
The main idea of MWHS is to organise a series of workshops with target
groups within the city of Edinburgh, in order to analyse the relationship
between the UNESCO World Heritage Site and its inhabitants. In particular,
the focus will be on how different categories of people –who differ among
themselves in demographic characters and, above all, in their use of the
city – interpret the UNESCO World Heritage of Edinburgh.
The results from these workshops will be then used as grassroots data for a
future publication on the definition of Historic Urban Landscape, and as
material for an exhibition.
10
3. Goals
Goal/Area Objective
SUSTAINABILITY Encourage people to walk in order to reduce carbon
emissions in the World Heritage Site14.
AWARENESS Promote the discovery of the UNESCO World Heritage Site
in people's daily lives.
INTERPRETATION Get insights on how the Site is viewed, felt and
interpreted in daily lives.
MANAGEMENT Identify constraints and potential improvements in the
UNESCO World Heritage Site from a pedestrian point of
view.
4. Expected outputs
a. (Initial report including the literature review, community mapping
theories and best practice case studies for reference; a proposed
methodology and plan of work).
b. Final written report including the results from the workshops, initial
conclusions on data and suggestions for an exhibition format. The
report will be a starting point for a future publication.
c. Art exhibition containing material from the workshops. An artist will
interpret and pull together the results from the workshops in a final
collective map.
5. Main baseline projects
5.1. Common Ground’s Parish Maps
During the 1980s, the UK charity Common Ground, founded by Susan
Clifford and Angela King with the aim to promote local distinctiveness,
elaborated a model of community mapping called Parish maps. Taking
inspiration from the Scottish Parish Maps, Common Ground has utilised the
word parish in the sense of a self-defined small territory, including people
and places, to keep us grounded. The word Parish itself refers to the
14
According to the Scottish Household Survey (SHS) in 2010 76% per cent of people traveled to work by
car, 15% took a bus/train and 13% per cent walked and 2 per cent cycled. Also, according to
Sustrans.org.uk a very high proportion of short trips are made by car, 23% under a mile, 33% 1 – 2 miles,
and 79% 2 – 5 miles (69% of all car journeys were less than 5 miles long in 2005)
11
former use of old parishes as units of measurement of the Anglo Saxon
territory15.
5.1.1. West Sussex Parish Maps
Common Ground‟s West Sussex Parish Maps project was initiated in the
1980s with the challenge to local people to chart what they value in their
place as a first step to engaging in its care.
After an eight year long community project involving some two thousand
people, the book “A sense of place” was published:
“The commentary tries to capture the spirit or sense of each place,
about what it is that gives a place its distinct atmosphere. And, as
with the maps, these are highly personal statements. In the end this
approach is about understanding the distinction between „looking
and seeing‟ – in „reading‟ a place at its many different levels…
What has been remarkable has been the way the project has
touched so many lives. It has been the process of making these
maps as much the maps themselves, that has been significant both
in personal and community terms"16.
Also, the exhibition „Mapping the Millennium‟, made up of 66 maps, was
displayed in Worthing Museum & Art Gallery from 2001 – 2002, attracting
thousands of visitors from near and far.
5.1.2. Piedmont eco-museums Parish Maps
One of the main applications of Common Ground‟s Parish Maps is the
Italian case of Piedmont eco-museums, during which several museums
launched a community mapping project within their communities. The
project started with a regional workshop involving local museums of
Piedmont and guided by Donatella Murtas, who had previously
collaborated with Sue Clifford and Common Ground.
Every territory developed its own community mapping project. The final
output was a community map developed through the involvement of a
whole community. Each project followed a general structure, summarised
as follows:
15
http://www.england-in-particular.info/ 16
http://www.england-in-particular.info/parishmaps/m-wsusx3.html
12
- An entire community group involved, split into groups of 20-40
people each.
- A facilitator who guided the workshops.
- A period of around 9-18 months.
- Monthly internal meetings plus external meetings with rest of the
community or external stakeholders.
- A budget ranging from 1,500 to 11,000 euro.
The key features are:
Small size of community and rural dimension. For instance, the
municipality of Raggiolo, who built the map for the Ecomuseo del
Casentino, consists of around 800 inhabitants and comprises an
area of around 36 square kilometres.
Cohesive and enthusiastic group. The role of the facilitator was
crucial, and meetings were frequent in order to create a cohesive
and enthusiastic group. This allowed for a spontaneous process of
democratic decision -making process amongst communities, with a
very high level of participation and individual contribution to the
final map.
Tool for interpretation/awareness/cohesion. The goal was the
participatory process itself, in terms of the awareness raised and
community cohesion. The process was also a good tool for policy
makers to understand how the area is interpreted by the
community.
5.2. Mapping for change17
Mapping for Change is a social enterprise founded in 2008 by “Mapping
Change for Sustainable Communities” in partnership with University
College London (UCL). It is a project by London 21, founded within the
Agenda 21 with the intention of creating a „greener‟, „healthier‟ and
„more sustainable city‟.
Mapping for change promotes the use of maps as a tool to support local
communities in achieving social change.
The key features are:
The role of IT in the production of maps – often online maps
Mapping for Change charges a fee for its contribution
Some of the projects are listed below.
17
http://www.mappingforchange.org.uk/services/community-maps/
13
5.2.1. Active Citizenship and Social Housing through IT
technologies
Where: Thamesmead, London.
Who: a whole community (around 50,000 inhabitants).
What: online map to share experiences, put forward ideas for local
improvements to shared spaces, identify key resources and valued
spaces, and places within the community:
- Map the organisations, groups and centres.
- Map local events, activities, training and volunteering opportunities.
- Record perceptions of surroundings – including photos, films and
descriptions of where they are, their feelings and responses.
-
Why: Create a database.
5.2.2. Local schools for local children
Where: East Finchley, London.
Who: A group of parents.
What: GIS map of Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data and the home
postcode of students, separated by grade level.
Why: Display through a map the level of deprivation, and to build a new
secondary school due to the lack of secondary schools.
5.2.3. Hackney Wick Community Map
Where: Hackney, London.
Who: Local community.
What: Online community map developed through workshops with schools,
senior citizens, local organizations and residents.
Why: Create an archive displaying the elements of local history that have
influenced both the physical and social structure within the community
over the past fifty years.
14
5.3. Participatory Health Impact Assessment (Glasgow)18 East End Local Development Strategy “Changing Places, Changing Lives”
It consisted in “Creative consultations” (scrapbooks, notebooks and
visioning), used as a key means for consultation with local people through
photographs, drawings and comments about health, transport, access to
leisure facilities, and employment opportunities.
The scrapbooks give a really good indication about what it is like to live in
the East End, indicating issues, constraints, and problems.
As conclusion, a model was developed by one of the East End planning
team, reflecting the interaction between many elements, which have to
be included within a successful place. The HSN Model is an interpretation
of the „Social Model of Health‟ developed by Dahlgren and Whitehead in
1991.
5.4. Alberto Magnaghi and Territorialist School19:
Management plan of Montespertoli Municipality
The Territorialist School conceives heritage holistically, including its people
and places, environment, landscape, urban features, local knowledge,
culture and crafts as a living entity with its unique character.
The School has focused on the increasingly important role of local
qualitative development and developed the concept of “local self-
sustainable development”. This concept emphasized the balance
between: directing development towards fundamental human
requirements (which cannot be reduced to material needs alone); self-
reliance and the development of self-government by local society; and
enhancing environmental quality.
According to Magnaghi, the strategic key for a sustainable development
is the "place-consciousness", i.e. a reflexive relation with local identity and
heritage. In his work “The urban village” Magnaghi identifies alternative
criteria of social progress, such as quality of life, social solidarity, and the
development of non-commercial caring relations. Only when local
communities value their local heritages, he argues, and build themselves
on a basis of local economic self-government, they will be able to resist
the colonisation and marginalisation that globalisation so often inflicts on
them.
18
http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=7343&p=0 19
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorialist_School
15
Magnaghi participated in the development of the Management plan of
Montespertoli Municipality (Piano Strutturale del Comune di
Montespertoli). The plan included a participatory process consisting of
several activities such as meetings and workshops, and integrated by
information tools – a website anda forum. The whole process mainly
focused on the relationship between urban development and rural
sustainability. Community mapping produced a series of concrete
proposals for planning improvements in the town: new cycling lanes, new
pedestrian paths, development of new parks and open spaces etc.
5.5. Australian Aboriginal mapping20
“Nourishing terrains” by Deborah Birds Rose is one example of Australian
Aboriginal mapping, a study aimed to analyse the way in which
Aborigines view and experience the land.
In particular, “Nourishing terrains” is part of a broader project of the
Australian Heritage Commission aimed to identify heritage places which
are part of Australia‟s National Estate. The Commission recognises that
Indigenous values and knowledge are important in the management of
heritage places, and encourages understanding between Indigenous
and non-Indigenous peoples. Within this context, the Commission asked
Deborah Bird Rose to write this book to explore Indigenous views of
landscape and their relationships with the land.
The work explores the significance of Aboriginal connections with country.
It provides an overview of Indigenous perspectives, and captures the
spiritual and emotional significance of the land to Aboriginal people.
Traditional songs, stories, dance and painting described in the book are
related to Songlines – Dreaming tracks –, paths across the land which
mark the route followed by localised 'creator-beings' during the
Dreaming.
5.6. IFAD Participatory Mapping
IFAD – the International Fund for Agricultural Development – implemented
in 2006 the project “Development of Decision Tools for Participatory
Mapping in Specific Livelihoods Systems (Pastoralists, Indigenous Peoples
and Forest Dwellers)”, aimed to contribute to addressing conflict-related
20
Rose 1996
16
issues and improving community ownership in sustainable environmental
and natural resources management.
The main goals/applications are:
- To help communities articulate and communicate spatial
knowledge to external agencies.
- To allow communities to record and archive local knowledge.
- To enable communities to advocate for change.
- To increase the capacity within communities.
- To address resource-related conflicts.
-
The main tools are:
- Hands-on mapping, either ground mapping or sketch mapping.
- Participatory mapping with scale maps and images.
- Participatory 3D-models.
- Participatory Geographic Information Systems.
- Multimedia and internet based mapping.
17
5.7. Comparative table
Project/org Who How Why Key elements
Inspiration (what
the case is
teaching us)
Piedmont eco-
museums
Museums in
Piedmont:
communities
of 800
inhabitants.
Series of
workshops
guided by
facilitator.
Interpretation
of area;
Awareness and
community
cohesion.
Small
community;
Facilitator in
workshops;
Enthusiastic
and cohesive
group.
Importance of
motivation/
involvement of
participants.
Mapping for
change
Big/small
communities;
Guided by
Mapping for
change.
Workshops/
independent
contribution of
participants.
Creating a
database;
Research.
Role of IT;
Mapping for
change as
enterprise.
Concrete use
of obtained
data/results.
Glasgow
Participatory
HIA
Large
community in
East Glasgow.
Creative
consultations
(scrapbooks,
notebooks
pictures).
Raising issues
on city;
Managerial tool
for urban
development
project.
Innovative
type of HIA.
Pictures +
scrapbooks +
drawings.
Magnaghi’s
Management
plan of
Montespertoli
Municipality
Municipality of
Montespertoli.
Participatory
process –
meetings,
workshops,
information
tools.
Developing the
management/
landscape
plan.
Concrete
involvement of
whole
community.
Concrete
proposals from
community.
Aboriginal
Mapping
Aboriginal
territory.
Study of
traditional
songs, stories,
dance and
painting.
Analysing the
way in which
Aborigines view
and
experience the
land.
Very complex
mapping.
Not just
tangible
elements but
also intangible.
IFAD
Participatory
Mapping
Specific
Livelihoods
Systems
(Pastoralists,
Indigenous
Peoples, Forest
Dwellers).
Hands-on
mapping;
Mapping with
scale maps
and images;
Participatory
3D-models;
Participatory
Geographic
Information
Systems;
Multimedia
and internet
based
mapping.
Articulating
and
communicatin
g spatial
knowledge;
Recording local
knowledge;
Giving voice to
community;
Increasing
capacity within
community;
Addressing
resource-
related
conflicts.
Role of
environment;
Role of
development
intermediaries;
Awareness on
mapping
impacts;
Importance of
process.
Community
mapping as
managerial
tool – natural
resources
management,
sustainable use
of land,
documentatio
n of resources.
18
PART TWO
METHODOLOGY AND OPERATIONAL PLAN
6. Operational plan (schedule)
Phase 0: research From January, 21st to beginning of February
Initial research on background theories and benchmarking;
elaboration of methodology and plan of work.
Phase 1: workshops From around February 10th to end of March
Implementation of workshops.
Phase 2: data analysis From second half of February to beginning of April
Analysis of results from workshops (maps, pictures…); production of
final report.
Phase 3: exhibition From April
Planning and organisation of exhibition.
19
7. Operational plan (timeline) January February
2
1
2
2
2
3
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4
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5
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8
2
9
3
0
3
1 1 4 5 6 7 8
1
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0 21 22
2
5
2
6 27 28 1
initial research
individuate
groups
contact
audiences
initial report
deadline
amendments
workshops x
x
x
x
x
data analysis
March April
1 4 5 6 7 8
1
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workshops x
data analysis
preliminar ideation
of exhibition
final report
20
8. Methodology and structure of workshops
8.1. Introduction
The idea is to carry out around 10-20 workshops with different categories
of participants, who can be defined “frequent users” of the World
Heritage Site – workers in the Site, residents etc. Workshops will involve
around 15 people each and last around 30 minutes.
8.2. General structure of workshop
The structure of the workshops is going to be tailored to the different
target groups. The general structure is here described.
The workshop‟s structure is based on two studies: first, Lynch‟s survey on
the image of the city; second, the methodology elaborated by Common
Ground, Sue Clifford and Donatella Murtas used by Piedmont
Ecomuseums.
As found in Lynch‟s studies, the objective is to understand how each
target group interprets the Site in terms of:
- Identity: what makes the city unique amongst other cities.
- Meaning: what values are attached to the image through which
people can identify themselves.
- Structure: how the image is spatially formed.
Phase 1: introduction
As seen in Clifford et al. and Lynch, the workshop starts with a short
introduction on the relationship between the city and the individual. The
introduction includes the following questions:
- Think about your city: what are the main landmarks in the city and
what first comes to your mind when you think of Edinburgh?
- What are the most relevant elements of your city and what are their
meanings?
- Why is Edinburgh unique?
- What are the values linked to the image of the city?
Phase 2: drawings
After this brief introduction, participants will be asked to think about their
daily itinerary from home to work – or, depending on participants, home-
21
school, etc. – and to draw a map of it, thinking about the most relevant
elements along the path / paths. Verbal instructions will be supported by
some written directions.
Think about your daily path home-work and draw a map of it.
Think about paths, areas and landmarks that catch your
attention (either positively or negatively). They could be:
- Artificial elements (buildings, signs, shops…)
- Natural elements
- Smells and noises
- Intangible elements (memories, habits, stories, legends…)
You can represent the map as you prefer, by drawing, writing,
etc. You are completely free; there is no a “right” or “wrong”
map!
The goal is to identify:
- The shape of the city, as viewed by its inhabitants, made up
of paths, nodes, edges, districts, landmarks, intangible
aspects, etc.
- The distinctive elements of the World Heritage Site
Phase 3: follow up
Also, participants will be asked (before or after the workshop) to take
some pictures of the elements that most attracted their attention, and to
send them to us by email, Facebook or Twitter. This will help fulfil several
objectives, by producing additional material for the exhibition,
encouraging people to actually walk, and promoting the project through
the use of social networks.
8.3. Participants involved
The choice of categories is pivotal for the whole project. As found in
Lynch, to obtain significant results for the public interpretation of a city,
the sample should be random and large enough. In the case of Lynch‟s
study, the total sample for each city included 15 people. In the project, a
satisfying result would be the involvement of 15 participants for each
target group, in order to obtain a total sample of at least 100 individuals.
On one hand, we aim to get many viewpoints on the World Heritage Site
and to obtain contrasting results; on the other, categories should be
relevant to the management of the Site. The list of categories is as follows:
1. Residents
22
2. Workers
3. Shoppers
4. Foreigners
5. Children
6. Tourists
7. University students
8. Elderly/mobility impaired
9. What happens next: report and exhibition
9.1. Analysis of results
The maps and the additional material raised will be then analysed
according to each target group. In particular, the analysis will look at the
three components as found by Lynch:
- Identity
- Meaning
- Structure
It follows a table which summarises the analysis.
Component Definition Variables to look at
Identity What makes Edinburgh
unique compared to other
cities (oneness).
Analyse for every target group the
presence of recurring elements –
landmarks, paths, districts, etc.
Meaning What values are attached to
the image through which
one can identify himself.
Personal contribution/
interpretation (e.g. the clocks in
the case of workers).
Structure How the image is spatially
formed.
Size, scale and overall shape of
map: shape of city in terms of
Lynch‟s elements – paths, districts,
nodes, landmarks and edges.
9.2. Ideas for the exhibition
All maps produced the workshops will be displayed in an exhibition, and
results will be pulled together by an artist. Suggestions for artists are as
follows:
- One artist – who has already worked for EWH
- A group of art students
-
The options about how many maps and who will produce them are
displayed below:
23
Who What Total maps Pros Cons
Artist One
comprehensive
map of the WHS
obtained by
pulling together
the results from all
maps.
1 map. Comprehensive
map.
Exhibition is poor
– should be
integrated by
additional
material;
No comparison
among
interpretation
of different
target groups.
One map for
each target
group.
1 map x 8
categories=
8 total
maps/works.
Quality final
output;
Continuity with
existing
image/brand
.
Expensive;
No
comprehensiv
e map.
Group
of
students
4-5 maps for
each target
group (every
artist interprets
each target
group‟s
viewpoint).
4-5 maps x
4-5
categories=
20-25 total
maps/works.
Cheap;
Many pieces to
be displayed.
Final output
could be of
medium
quality.
Group works as
whole: one map
for each target
group.
1 map x 8
categories=
8 total
maps/works.
Cheap.
Final output
could be of
medium
quality;
Who What Total maps Pros Cons
One
Artist
One
comprehensive
map of the WHS
obtained by
pulling together
the results from all
maps.
1 map. Comprehensive
map.
Exhibition is poor
– should be
integrated by
additional
material.
One map for
each target
group.
1 map x 8
categories=
8 total
maps/works.
Quality final
output;
Continuity with
existing
image/brand
.
Expensive
Only 8 pieces to
display.
Group
of
students
4-5 maps for
each target
group (every
artist interprets
each target
4-5 maps x
4-5
categories=
20-25 total
maps/works.
Cheap;
Many pieces to
be displayed.
Final output
could be of
medium
quality.
24
group‟s
viewpoint).
Group works as
whole: one map
for each target
group.
1 map x 8
categories=
8 total
maps/works.
Cheap.
Final output
could be of
medium
quality;
Only 8 pieces to
display.
Besides the artistic pieces, the final exhibition could contain also some of
the material from the workshops, such as pictures, drawn maps, drawings
by children. For example, a collage map could be built by collating the
pictures taken by each target group.
A more precise proposal about the exhibition format will be presented
around March, when preliminary results from workshops will come up.
25
10. Conclusions and expected outcomes
The project wishes to positively contribute to four major areas of the
management of the Edinburgh WHS. The final expected outcomes for
each area are listed below.
10.1. Sustainability National and international statistics on transport and travel show that
around 70% of car journeys are less than 5 miles long21, and that around
70% of people travel to work by car22. Also, according to national data
people who “walk for pleasure” are less and less 23.
In this scenario, the expected final outcome is to save 20 tonnes of CO2
through walking during daily journeys – to work, to school, to go shopping,
etc.- in a year period, which will continue to increase in future years on an
ongoing basis.
10.2. Awareness/Interpretation The expected outcomes are several:
- Obtaining a good personal insight from the participants at
the workshops.
- Identifying both the tangible and intangible elements, which
form the urban heritage of Edinburgh WHS: buildings, artificial
and natural elements, as well as intangible elements such as
views/landmarks, social and cultural practices, economic
processes, diversity and identity components.
- Identifying the elements of everyday life of each target group
– if any – to analyse how the Site is experienced everyday by
its users.
- The study could represent the baseline for a comparative
analysis on the perceived image of the cities –shape
topography, etc. – at national/international level according
to the concept of imageability.
10.3. Management
The process of community mapping can be an effective management
tool in several ways:
21
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/connect2/guidelines%2016.pdf 22
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Transport-Travel/TrendTraveltoWork 23
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Transport-Travel/TrendWalkingCycling
26
Contribute in defining the city’s”genetic code”24
The process of community mapping can contribute to raising awareness
of the city‟s DNA, which will be then communicated to external actors. In
the case of Piedmont eco-museums, for instance, the community
mapping gave the opportunity to make unique local features and
patterns emerge.
In the case of Edinburgh, local features are already well known to the
external world; however, community mapping gives a further viewpoint
on the city, focusing on how the Site is seen by its locals – residents,
workers, students etc – and discovering its distinctiveness as seen from
their perspective. This could represent a starting point for a new branding
in terms of marketing/tourism competitiveness.
Urban development/urban landscape
Most of the baseline projects were conducted within a small community –
either a small territory or focus groups. Therefore, community mapping
gave interesting insights on the urban management of the area. In the
case of Magnaghi‟s Participatory Plan to Montespertoli, for instance,
community mapping contributed to identify precise needs and/or issues
felt by the community, such as the lack of a pedestrian/cycle path in a
given area. Also, in the case of IFAD Participatory Mapping, the process
was useful to improve the management of natural resources and the
sustainable use of land.
In the case of a much more complex metropolis such as Edinburgh, there
is the risk of not obtaining an integrated viewpoint on the city, but rather a
much more fragmented picture of needs, issues and suggestions from its
users. In particular, according to Murtas, community maps can assist
traditional planning effectively; however, the sine qua non is the
connection between the bottom-up involvement of community and the
commitment of public actors involved in the urban development25.
In particular, community mapping can give precise indications on several
aspects concerning the Site‟s management, such as:
- Information on transportation and pedestrian routes (most
and least preferred walking/cycle paths; issues on
pavements, lights, pedestrian crossing, etc. as perceived by
pedestrians)
24
Di Federico Bilò 2006 25
Clifford et al. 2006
27
- Information on the general perception of the city (unsafe
areas to be regenerated; most preferred areas, landscapes,
etc.)
- Viewpoints on general waste management: the drawn maps
could make emerge opinions about garbage bins – either as
positive or negative elements for the urban landscape –,
perceived tidy/dirty areas and resulting need for further bins,
etc.
-
Stakeholders involvement/Give a voice to residents
According to the “Landscape Character Assessment: Guidance for
England and Scotland”26, stakeholders play a vital role in Landscape
Character Assessment. The term stakeholder describes the whole
constituency of individuals and groups who have an interest in a subject
or place; in the case of Edinburgh WHS, the term also includes city users
participating in the project.
MWHS could represent an innovative tool of participatory planning of
cities in which the role played by locals is pivotal. In particular, MWHS
could represent an interesting pilot/trial of stakeholders‟ involvement and
become a baseline for further community projects. Such a participatory
planning can contribute to:
- Obtaining valuable information through the stakeholders, this would
not otherwise come to light.
- Gaining more commitment and more consensuses in the
preservation of the Site.
- Delivering operational strategies (such as management plans which
need a variety of people and organizations to be implemented).
-
Database/archive
Many of the analysed projects show that results from community mapping
can be used to create a form of archive/database for the community
itself.
In the case of EWH Community Mapping, it will give precise insights on the
daily routine of each target group involved, and results could be used to
display, in an interactive database/archive/online map/guide form,
information on how the city is experienced by its users. As in many projects
led by Mapping for Change, an online map could catalogue and display
26
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/lcatopicpaper3_tcm6-8173.pdf
28
organisations, shops and associations; local events and activities;
perceptions of surroundings, etc. Also, results could be
catalogued/itemised in an archive containing elements of local history,
elements social and cultural nature, customs, habits and other intangible
aspects of urban heritage.
In this sense, an interesting baseline is Belfast Sound Map27, a community
map of Belfast which wishes to characterize the soundscape of the city. In
particular, it engages local communities in capturing everyday, sound but
also other forms of experiencing and registering sound, such as text or
image.
The result is an online map which can be explored by users/listeners in
various ways, including an autoplay mode which creates a sequence
composed of different recordings. Also, the map serves as a platform for a
series of local workshops, aimed to explore the rich relationship between
sound, place and everyday life.
10.4. Goals/Objectives/Outcomes Table
Goal/Area Objective Outcome
SUSTAINABILITY
Encourage people to walk in
order to reduce carbon
emissions in the World
Heritage Site.
Save 20 tonnes of CO2
through walking during
daily journeys – to work, to
school, to go shopping,
etc. - in a year period.
Incentivise people to walk
for their short journeys in
their daily activities.
AWARENESS /
INTERPRETATION
Promote the discovery of the
UNESCO World Heritage Site in
people's daily lives.
Get insights on how the Site is
viewed, felt and interpreted in
daily lives.
Obtaining a good personal
insight from the
participants at the
workshops.
Identifying both the
tangible and intangible
elements, which form the
urban heritage of
Edinburgh WHS.
MANAGEMENT
Identify constraints and
potential improvements in the
UNESCO World Heritage Site
from a pedestrian point of
view.
Definition of the “genetic
code” of the city.
Urban planning/
development.
Creation of a database.
Stakeholder involvement.
27
http://www.belfastsoundmap.org/
29
Follow-up to the workshops delivered
1. Operational plan/List of workshops and target groups
The workshop phase of MWHS was implemented between January 2013
and June 2013. The final list of target groups involved includes:
- Residents (Old Town; New Town; West End)
- Workers (Edinburgh City Council; University of Edinburgh; City
Chambers; Edinburgh World Heritage)
- Students (University of Edinburgh)
- Children (Tollcross Primary School)
- Senior citizens (A city for all ages)
- Women (Damn Rebel Bitches)
- International residents (Istituto Italiano di Cultura: Scottish Polish
Cultural Association)
- Shoppers (cross section)
- Tourists (cross section)
2. Methodology
a. Changes: already formed groups; discussion;
During the course of the project, there have been a few changes in the
workshops‟ structure and methodology. In particular, it has been decided
to conclude the workshop with a discussion. Indeed, whilst the drawing
element gave the chance to the participants to freely and creatively
express themselves, the discussion at the end has been very valuable in
order to share ideas and viewpoints. In this way, the discussion contributed
to strengthen the community approach to the process.
In addition to the maps drawn by the participants, a brief report
containing quotes, ideas and stories was produced after each workshop.
b. Issues/potential improvements
The main difficulty that emerged during this phase was linked to the initial
contact. As community mapping is not a well-known practice, it has not
been an easy task at times to convey the project‟s goals and strengths to
the public.
30
As far as potential improvements are concerned, the ideal number of
participants taking part in the workshops ranges from 5 to 15 – a medium
level of attendance allows a good exchange of information and, at the
same time, a less intimidating atmosphere.
Also, it was found that working with homogeneous groups – not only
people belonging to the same target group, but also people who know
each other, or have the same socio-demographic features – gave better
results. Indeed, the atmosphere was friendlier and the discussion was
somehow more natural during these workshops.
3. Main results
Carbon Savings
Within the framework of MWHS Project, we ran 13 workshops, involved
over 120 individuals, and obtained as many maps.
Participants pledged to walk for their short journeys (less than two miles),
instead of using the car, at least twice a week for a year. The carbon
savings will be monitored throughout this year and the next. The total
amount of CO2 that could be saved is around 4,000 kg*, equivalent to
1,800 aluminium cans. The more active groups are the international
community (an average of 90 kg of CO2 saved per person) and students
(an average of 88 kg of CO2 saved per person).
This exercise showed that locals love Edinburgh‟s more scenic routes,
which are a good incentive to walk to work and to school. At the same
time, inhabitants prefer to avoid busy and traffic congested roads.
*Kg of CO2 saved by participants in comparison with the same car
journeys.
Personal Edinburgh
The most striking feature that emerged from the workshops is that
Edinburgh is full of people‟s personal places, memories, stories. People put
“my home”, “workplace”, “my school” on the map, sometimes even
including themselves on the map. The Community Map highlighted daily
routines and favourite locations of Edinburgh‟s local community.
Participants represented many individuals on the map, such as the “man
with the dog”, the Big Issue seller, and so on. Also, the map includes many
sensory memories, such as the smell of food and the sound of bagpipe
31
music. In addition, the map contains many memories and stories: the smell
of pubs which recalls childhood memories; a wedding dress shop and its
colourful window, and so on.
Perception of the city
In accordance with the World Heritage Site‟s Outstanding Universal Value,
the maps also revealed the striking contrast between Old and New Town.
Whilst the Old Town is perceived as vertical, steep, dark, mysterious, the
New Town is seen as majestic, beautiful, bright and elegant. In general,
people appreciate the beauty of both medieval architecture, and
Georgian and Victorian style.
Another interesting feature is that green and natural spaces are amongst
the most appreciated elements. People love relaxing in the Meadows,
walking along the Water of Leith, climb Arthur‟s Seat and have a walk
around Calton Hill. Additionally, people are fond of Edinburgh‟s scenic
views, which also contribute to make the city a World Heritage Site.
Also, what emerged as one of the best strengths of Edinburgh are its
scenic views. The most popular routes are usually more “scenic” and
quieter, as people really enjoy looking at the scenery on their way to work.
The most popular landmarks are Arthur‟s Seat, St. Giles, the view either
side from North Bridge; the views from the Mound; the views towards the
sea from the Royal Mile; the view of Edinburgh skyline and the Castle from
the New Town. In particular, locals love the fact that they can see the
Castle from many different streets, and the sea view to Fife from many
locations in the city.
However, inhabitants pointed out traffic congestion, car fumes and noise
amongst the least favourite elements in the city. Additionally, participants
would appreciate more cycle paths in the city and more green spaces.
OLD TOWN
The Old Town is perceived as vertical, mysterious and full of history. People
love the Royal Mile, its Closes, and the Castle, but are less fond of its tourist
shops. The Grassmarket is seen as lovely and lively, and together with the
Cowgate is the favourite location for students‟ nightlife. North Bridge is
one of the most loved panoramic locations in the city and is seen as the
“connection between the Old and the New Town”. Waverley station is the
“entrance” to the city, and inhabitants recall many memories, stories and
routines about it. The path from Jeffrey Street to Market Street and the
Mound is one of the participants‟ favourite routes.
32
NEW TOWN
The New Town is seen as an elegant and majestic grid. People love its
gardens, its crescents and curves, its pavements and lamps. Inhabitants
do not like the traffic congestion in Princes Street; however, they love the
view on the Old Town and the Castle from Princes Gardens.
DEAN VILLAGE AND STOCKBRIDGE
People love the village-like atmosphere of Stockbridge and the Dean
Village. Stockbridge is seen as a typical Sunday location because of its
market, its charity shops, and its cafes. The Water of Leith is one of the
most appreciated natural locations in the city, as well as the main
location for galleries.
WEST (TOLLCROSS; LOTHIAN ROAD; WEST END)
Moving to the West End, people love its peculiar topography, consisting of
parallel streets, crescents and gardens. The area is quiet and peaceful,
and St Mary‟s Cathedral is one of the favourite churches in the city.
People love theatres and cinemas in Tollcross. However, Lothian Road is
seen as one of the most congested and unpleasant areas to walk in the
city. Kids love sweets shops and bakeries in Fountainbridge, and the
Canal‟s ducks and fresh air.
THE MEADOWS AND GEORGE SQUARE
Edinburgh‟s South side is the student area of the city. University students
represented Edinburgh as George Sq.-centred, and the library is a
reference point for student‟s life. The Meadows is the favourite park in the
city; people go there to relax, play sports, and have BBQs. Students also
love pubs in the Grassmarket and Cowgate, and the National Museum of
Scotland.
4. Outputs
We are currently working with the illustrator Hannah Rye in the production
of the final Edinburgh community map. The map will be displayed at
Edinburgh World Heritage at the end of August.
We are also developing an A3 brochure containing the final map itself,
and more detailed results emerged from the workshops.
33
Workshop with A City for All Ages
34
Mapping with Old and New Town residents and workers
35
Workshop at the City of Edinburgh Council
36
Mapping with Tollcross Primary children
37
A selection of maps produced at the workshops
Two maps of Edinburgh and
Leith
38
Two portraits of Lothian
Road and the Castle by a
child and a resident
39
Workers workshops
40
Tollcross Primary workshop
41
The West End, as seen by its
Residents
42
Workers workshops
43
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Websites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorialist_School
http://www.belfastsoundmap.org/
http://www.england-in-particular.info/
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