From garden city planning to World Heritage property: the cultural significance of the nature–culture relations of Tel Aviv

Research reveals a progressive shift in the cultural significance attributed to nature-culture relations in Tel Aviv's White City, from Patrick Geddes' 1925 integrated vision—where built and natural attributes were equally prominent—to ICOMOS and UNESCO evaluations that prioritized architectural concepts while genericizing natural elements. This transition likely stems from the inclusion of International Style architecture and the evaluative scope of the inscription process. The study employs comparative content analysis, code counting, and co-occurrence analysis to systematically evaluate these shifts, offering a transferable framework for assessing cultural significance in planned urban landscapes and informing heritage management and urban planning policies.

Matar, A., Cannatella, D., & Pereira Roders, A. (2026). From garden city planning to World Heritage property: the cultural significance of the nature–culture relations of Tel Aviv. Built Heritage, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-026-00290-8