ABSTRACT
This chapter uses several key concepts of Amos Rapoport to develop a theoretical framework based on environment–behavior studies that could be applied to studies into the management of heritage. In heritage studies, the notion of heritage is categorized into binaries, such as natural heritage/cultural heritage and tangible heritage/intangible heritage, which are inherently problematic, both conceptually and practically, as the cultural heritage should be understood holistically, involving all these heritage dimensions. In addition, no effective conceptual systems exist to connect and discuss the interdependence of tangible heritage and intangible heritage in any historic environment. This proposed framework first adopts Rapoport’s idea of the ‘dismantling of culture’ to establish the relationship between different heritage categories and then expands his ‘conceptualization of the environment into space, time, meaning, and communication’ to develop a possible connection between tangible heritage and intangible heritage in multi-scaler spatial dimensions – from macro- to meso- to micro-environments. It then follows his theory on ‘systems of settings and activities’ to demonstrate how values and meanings associated with heritage sites and cultural practices could be understood in a deeper manner, specially at micro-spatial level, in historic environments. Parts of this framework have appeared in previous publications by the author. This chapter is an attempt to present them in a more cohesive manner.
