Preserving panoramic views along motorways through policy

Publication

Motorway design is not merely a matter of pure functionalism. Naturally, its main purpose is to accommodate efficient transportation to and from a large number of places. However, aesthetic aspects and landscaping are historically also connected to infrastructure design. Motorways were initially built outside cities, and intended to connect them. Nowadays they are an integrated part of the urban landscape. In the Dutch context of high-density land use with a scarcity of open spaces, the challenge of motorway design is shifting from attempts to fit the infrastructure into the landscape towards moulding spatial developments to fit the motorway.

The chapter 'Preserving panoramic views along motorways through policy' sketches the background of this Dutch policy dilemma, provides a definition of 'motorway panorama’, and presents a practical method for identifying motorway panoramas, using GIS techniques.

This chapter is part of the book 'Exploring the Visual Landscape'. The book is about the combination of landscape research and planning, visual perception and Geographic Information Science. It showcases possible ways of getting a grip on themes, such as landscape openness, cluttering of the rural landscape, high-rise buildings in relation to cityscape, historic landscapes, and motorway panoramas.

Publication: Nijhuis, S., R. Van Lammeren & F. van der Hoeven (ed.) (2011), Exploring the Visual Landscape. Advances in Physiognomic Landscape Research in the Netherlands, Research in Urbanism Series volume 2, Delft: IOS Press.

Authors

Piek, M., N. Sorel en M. van Middelkoop

Specifications

Publication title
Preserving panoramic views along motorways through policy
Publication date
30 August 2011
Publication type
Publication
Product number
92607