2017’s Milan conference will investigate methodologies of representation, communication, and valorisation of Historic Urban Landscapes and cultural heritage but also placemaking and local identity enhancement.

The conference will promote holistic and multidisciplinary approaches to design which are adapted to meet the challenges of tomorrow, and which support the unique heritage, cultural landscapes and communities that have been developed by local traditions around the world.

Participants will share case studies and current practice on the documentation of settlements that should be preserved, focusing on innovative solutions, design challenges in placemaking and identity conservation, cultural issues in heritage assessment, and the technical and craft expression of culture. Critical to the presentation of case studies and current practice will be the use of drawing as a tool for design and creativity.

The conference aims to foster an international exchange of research, case studies, and best practice to confront the challenges of designing places, building cultural landscapes and enabling the development of community. The conference also aims to promote research on new core knowledge in the field, and on applications of this knowledge that are contributing to our understanding of the evolution of traditional and historical knowledge.