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Copyright (c) 2025 Carola Hein
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Keywords:
built environment, water values, value case approach, Paris, SeineAbstract
Historic river cities embody centuries of interaction between hydrological systems and the built environment. As societal values have shifted—from economic development and public health to flood protection, ecological restoration and recreation—so have the spatial forms and practices through which cities live with water. Successive planned and unplanned interventions constitute an archive of changing relationships between nature and culture and provide a foundation for future design that supports human life and hydrological processes while adapting historic cities and heritage to climate change. Using the Seine in Paris and Île-de-France as an example, this article examines how four interconnected water uses—shipping, sewage, safety and swimming—have shaped the city and become embedded in its heritage, including its UNESCO World Heritage property. The case demonstrates how historic cities and heritage record changing values while providing resources for future transformation. It proposes reconnecting natural processes and cultural forms through dynamic flows, historical narratives, and explicit societal values to guide inclusive, ecosystemic approaches to sustainable urban futures.
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