The power of built heritage and innovative design in the emerging "globalized" urban landscapes: the case of Athens

Abstract

This paper deals with urban landscape transformations in the era of globalisation. First, it attempts to describe and understand how built heritage and innovative design of space have become competitive edge of cities in terms of landscape transformations. Second, it develops the argument that on the basis of their great potential for a) promoting urban economic growth and b) enhancing place identity of cities, both built heritage and innovative design of space appear to be intensely used as key-instruments of strategic plans of cities concerning the transformation and improvement of urban landscape. As case study, Athens and its landscape transformations for Olympic Games 2004 are analysed.