ABSTRACT
Based on Eurocentric assumptions that the ideal urban form is one of clear physical order and visual coherence, most Asian cities are typically labelled as ‘cluttered’, ‘chaotic’, and ‘disorienting’. Contrary to this view, traditional Asian cities sustain organic and tacit ordering principles that are simultaneously both formal and informal. Inherent in such cities are slow-growing, unregimented spatial orders as well as culturally specific, multi-faceted sensory environments filled with sounds, smells, textures, and movement, creating vibrant and unique urban landscapes. This chapter argues that the ways in which such multisensory experiences are produced and manifested are vital to Asian cultural identities and thereby significantly contribute to their urban heritage. Using examples from Sri Lankan cities, the chapter illustrates the significance of sensoryscapes – especially non-visual sensory experiences – in discerning cultural identity and meaning of urban landscapes. It also emphasizes the role urban sensoryscapes plays in heritage and calls for creating a more holistic approach to heritage management. Furthermore, it establishes how the current dichotomy of tangible and intangible heritages become rather blurred where sensoryscapes are concerned.
