GIS-based visual analysis for planning and designing historic urban landscapes

Visibility and scenic landscape analysis is an important field of study with direct implications in urban and regional landscape planning and management. More specifically, GIS-based landscape visibility analysis can be a tool to protect, manage, and plan also historic urban landscapes, focusing on scenic and visual values. Using visibility maps it is possible to predict the visual impact of transformations, locate interventions on the basis of visual sensitivity, and protect landscape of natural beauty, cultural heritage and significant landmarks visible from selected viewpoints. Among the studies carried out in some cities in the world, in Italy there is a pilot project for the integration of GIS-based visibility analysis in planning decisions for the Piedmont cultural heritage. GIS-based landscape visibility analysis has been developed on different areas located in the Piedmont Region within the framework of the landscape planning activity developed by the MiBAC (Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo) and the Piedmont Region - with the scientific advice of the Politecnico di Torino. A specific study has been carried out in the city of Turin. Set in an international perspective, this paper will focus on describing these applications and on highlighting some problematic issues and possible uses of such techniques in the planning domain.