The iconic heritage places — monuments, architectural ensembles, archaeological sites, parts of cities or entire settlements which are subject to significant tourist flows, ecc. — are witnesses of outstanding architectural and urban creations of the human being throughout history. The arrival of visitors to these extraordinary heritage landscapes poses many questions to those dealing with architectural research and design. The entrance spaces to iconic heritage sites indeed, work as interfaces between, on one side, the interior of sites that are subject to attention and safeguarding actions and, on the other side, the outside areas, which have different features and where the necessity to welcome and manage tourist flows and to answer to visitors’ needs are posed. How designing the areas surrounding monumental complexes to respond to multiple tourist and residents demands —parking areas, info and meeting points, tickets offices, refreshment areas, shops, etc— while respecting and enhancing the spatial qualities of the site? The relationship between both worlds —a monumental complex and its urban or territorial context— is, on the other hand, fundamental for the correct appreciation and comprehension of heritage sites. Where locating the access spaces to preserve and guarantee the correct recognition and understanding of the formal reasons underlying the birth and the evolution in time of these heritage sites? How conceiving the entrance areas to properly address the visit to these huge ensamble?

The sixth international research seminar promoted by the ‘Designing Heritage Tourism Landscapes network’ aims at answering to these and other questions by tackling the complex issues related to the study and the design of the entrance spaces to iconic heritage places.