The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural Landscape

Historic urban areas are a crucial component of urban heritage, arguably embodying the collective memory of urban development and often possessing distinctive urban textures and cultural attributes. This study analyses the relationship between intangible cultural heritage and urban morphology in uMl...

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Main Authors: Leonard Chitongo, Maheshvari Naidu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Noyam Journals 2025-05-01
Series:E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
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Online Access:https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EHASS20256622.pdf
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author Leonard Chitongo
Maheshvari Naidu
author_facet Leonard Chitongo
Maheshvari Naidu
author_sort Leonard Chitongo
collection DOAJ
description Historic urban areas are a crucial component of urban heritage, arguably embodying the collective memory of urban development and often possessing distinctive urban textures and cultural attributes. This study analyses the relationship between intangible cultural heritage and urban morphology in uMlazi, a township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A dual theoretical framework informs the study. Through the dual lenses of the cultural landscape model and space syntax theory focused on a dynamic township environment, the study examined how intangible cultural heritage in open spaces and public amenities intersects with urban morphology to potentially shape community identity, social dynamics, and the built environment. The study explored how cultural heritage is crucial in defining uMlazi’s cultural landscape and influencing urban form and structure. It further examined the influence of key factors that impact the interplay between intangible cultural heritage and urban morphology, including historical context and urban planning policies. The study’s findings suggest that cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge systems play an integral role in urban planning and development initiatives to preserve community identity. The findings contribute to the growing research on cultural heritage and urban morphology, offering insights into township contexts’ unique challenges and opportunities.
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spelling doaj-art-5b88682cbc9249dda37c38ff94ef6a852025-08-20T03:16:17ZengNoyam JournalsE-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences2720-77222025-05-0166945962https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256622The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural LandscapeLeonard Chitongo 0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0106-8264 Maheshvari Naidu 1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0398-3834School of Social Sciences, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. School of Social Sciences, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. Historic urban areas are a crucial component of urban heritage, arguably embodying the collective memory of urban development and often possessing distinctive urban textures and cultural attributes. This study analyses the relationship between intangible cultural heritage and urban morphology in uMlazi, a township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A dual theoretical framework informs the study. Through the dual lenses of the cultural landscape model and space syntax theory focused on a dynamic township environment, the study examined how intangible cultural heritage in open spaces and public amenities intersects with urban morphology to potentially shape community identity, social dynamics, and the built environment. The study explored how cultural heritage is crucial in defining uMlazi’s cultural landscape and influencing urban form and structure. It further examined the influence of key factors that impact the interplay between intangible cultural heritage and urban morphology, including historical context and urban planning policies. The study’s findings suggest that cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge systems play an integral role in urban planning and development initiatives to preserve community identity. The findings contribute to the growing research on cultural heritage and urban morphology, offering insights into township contexts’ unique challenges and opportunities.https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EHASS20256622.pdfintangible cultural heritageurban morphologypublic amenitiescultural landscape.
spellingShingle Leonard Chitongo
Maheshvari Naidu
The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural Landscape
E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
intangible cultural heritage
urban morphology
public amenities
cultural landscape.
title The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural Landscape
title_full The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural Landscape
title_fullStr The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural Landscape
title_full_unstemmed The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural Landscape
title_short The Interplay between Cultural Heritage and Urban Morphology: A Case Study of uMlazi Cultural Landscape
title_sort interplay between cultural heritage and urban morphology a case study of umlazi cultural landscape
topic intangible cultural heritage
urban morphology
public amenities
cultural landscape.
url https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EHASS20256622.pdf
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