Sacred Landscapes

Indigenous Spatial Frameworks for Contemporary Practice
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-3-032-18127-5
Verlag: Palgrave Macmillan

Buch, Englisch, 283 Seiten, Format (B × H): 148 mm x 210 mm

Reihe: Religion and Spatial Studies

Positioned at the intersection of indigenous knowledge systems and spatial practice, this volume explores how ritualised, place-based epistemologies can reframe design and planning responses to global ecological crises. Departing from reductive Cartesian abstractions, it interrogates the systemic erasure of sacred space and advances a generative turn toward relational ontologies and decolonial spatial imaginaries. Landscapes are approached not as static heritage artefacts, but as living, agentive systems that co-produce meaning, identity, and ethical responsibility. Drawing on global case studies and innovative methodological approaches, including VOICE, Spiritual Tectonics, and Afro-Cosmological Design, the contributions explore the temporal thickening of sacred sites, where ancestral continuities intersect with emergent technologies. By integrating traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary metrics of resilience and sustainability, the book outlines actionable pathways for spatial practitioners. It speaks to researchers and professionals across architecture, urban planning, religious studies, cultural geography, and the environmental humanities.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Sharma, Vikas Chand

Varma, Anurag

Duan, Qiuhua Lisa

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Sonstige Religionen Indigene Religionen
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Religionssoziologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Part I: Experiential Frameworks.- Chapter 1. Afrocosmology and Sacred Design: Towards a Decolonial Spatial Imagination (Johannes Bhanye).- Chapter 2. The field and the knower: understanding sacred landscapes through the Bhagavad Gita (Umberto Baresi).- Chapter 3. Reconciling Geometries and Geographies of the Self (Karim W. F. Youssef).- Chapter 4. The 'Relational Turn' in Sacred Space: A Phenomenological Mapping Framework (Vikas Chand Sharma, and Sandeep Dua).- Chapter 5. Spiritual Tectonics: Integrating Yogic Principles and Sacred Architecture for Meditative Stillness (Ines Consuela Essen).- Chapter 6. Samadhis as Cultural Landscapes: Remembering Saints in Contemporary Bhakti (Leena Taneja).- Part II: Indigenous Frameworks.- Chapter 7. Deriving the Indigenous Proportioning System of Ek-Ratna Temples of Bishnupur (Peu Banerjee).- Chapter 8. Recursive sacred space and multiple emotional resonance: development model of Thai Chinese temples based on symbolic representation (Huiying Wang and Warunee Wang).- Chapter 9. Reimagining Traditional Water Systems in Sacred Landscapes: A Planning Framework for Govardhan, India (Aman Sharma, Anurag Varma, and Shiva Ji).- Chapter 10. Reviving the Sacred Through Self-Rule: Gandhi’s Gram Swaraj and Festival Space Planning (Nimai Sarkar).- Chapter 11. Rethinking Conservation Frameworks of Living Religious Heritage Sites (Samidha Pusalkar).- Chapter 12. Village Voice: Reimagining Development through Sacred Ecologies in Goa (Ginella George and George Jerry Jacob).- Chapter 13. Tir Aikym: Creating an environmental stewardship framework for a living eco-spiritual centre (Anoup Kerrai, Girija Shettar, Hiral Patel, and Mohan Siyani).

Über Autor(innen)

Vikas Chand Sharma is an Associate Professor and Head of Department in the School of Architecture and Planning at Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, and a researcher at Guru Nanak Dev University, India. His interdisciplinary scholarship examines the evolving relationship between urban design, sacred landscapes, and emerging technologies. He serves on scientific and editorial boards and reviews for leading journals across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Dr. Anurag Varma is an academic, architect, and consultant with over 25 years of diverse professional experience. He serves as a Professor and Director of the School of Architecture at CMR University, Bengaluru, India. His doctoral research at TERI School of Advanced Studies focused on sacred cultural heritage and its intersection with urban planning in pilgrimage towns. His research interests encompass sustainable built environments, architectural pedagogy, and advancements in higher education.

Dr. Qiuhua (Lisa) Duan is an Assistant Professor specializing in sustainable built environments, building performance, and advanced materials. Her research develops innovative solutions for energy efficiency and occupant well-being within resilient communities. Dr. Duan holds dual PhDs in Architectural Engineering (Pennsylvania State University, USA) and Disaster Prevention and Reduction Engineering (Tongji University, China). She has led some research projects funded by NOAA, the DOE and participated in US National Science Foundation initiatives. With over 50 peer-reviewed publications, her work focuses on energy-efficient building envelopes and indoor environmental quality, offering high-performance technical frameworks for contemporary spatial practice.