ABSTRACT
The essays collected in this edition explore how the control and management of water flows are among the most significant human activities aimed at transforming the natural environment. In addition to their transformative functions, canals and rivers are linear paths of high cultural value where it is possible to identify specific and unique cultural landscapes. The introduction’s objective is not only to outline the conceptual structure of the whole research project, but also to suggest novel insights concerning the fruitful synergies among the socio-spatial relations activated by water elements and the shared needs elicited by landscape design, urban planning and tourism economics.
