Perpetual Points in a Rural Paradise: Historic Landscape Characterisation in Aqda Village

Rural settings are currently under pressure to accommodate specific demands of rapid urbanization and a high demand for ‘change’. The interrelations between human beings and nature have therefore changed to meet globalization requirements. Rural communities are exposed to diverse aspects of an urban lifestyle—regardless of whether their setting or their resources would allow such a conversion. Although change is inevitable and often necessary in rural settlements to respond to the needs of inhabitants, there is a growing concern for the preservation of the venerated identity of the rural landscape character. A few cases have surprisingly remained that present a relatively well-sustained balance between change and original patterns of human–environment interaction. These may serve as learning examples, since they also retain a distinctive landscape that represents their imageability. Some of these cases are clustered in the authentic rural landscapes of Yazd, around the province of Ardakan. The complexity of water and agricultural management in a sensitive xeric ecology makes these cases even more valuable for study. A systematic examination of these cases reveals key perpetual points in a rural landscape that are not only paramount to preserving the distinctive rural identity, but are also acknowledged and cherished by the local community and visitors. As an example of these historic rural settlements, Aqda Village has struggled through many centuries of change and development, while preserving its distinctive characters. However, since 2005, it has witnessed the impacts of unmanaged urbanization at an alarming rate. There is therefore an urgent need to acquire a better knowledge base for development planning without compromising its identity and heritage assets. This chapter uses Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) as the preliminary step to understand the role of historic landscape features in shaping the character of Aqda. The identified distinctive landscape character types are recorded and mapped using a GIS application. Subsequently, the role of some of the important ‘character features’, whether tangible or intangible, are highlighted. The intangible features are not evident in 2D maps but are imperative to the definition and conservation of the historic character. The outcome of this research will guide the future development and redevelopment decisions of Aqda’s landscape in a way, which retain its inherent character and identity, or the ‘perpetual points in a rural paradise’.