International Journal of Mathematics and Systems Science 2024, 7(5); https://doi.org/10.18686/ijmss.v7i5.6610

Simon Schama’s seminal book Landscape and Memory revolutionised the understanding of landscape design, shifting the focus from visual aesthetics to psychological and emotional interaction with the natural environment. Shama argues that landscapes are physical spaces and deeply intertwined with collective memory, history, and the human psyche. Through detailed explorations of European and American cultural memory, he demonstrates how landscapes embody symbolism and have profound emotional and psychological effects on individuals. Tracing the origins of the human aesthetic sense of landscape to flood defence development in the Netherlands, Sharma points out that the concept of landscape is intrinsically linked to human intervention and the use of land. By introducing the concept of ‘landscape narrative’, Sharma marks a significant departure from traditional approaches to landscape design that emphasise the aesthetics of form and symmetry. His work encourages the reinterpretation of landscape as a repository of cultural identity and collective memory, fundamentally changing how we perceive and interact with the natural world.” Landscape and Memory takes a groundbreaking look at the role of landscape in shaping human experience and cultural expression.