Sustainable Urban Planning

Box 1.1 Terra psyche: the land settlement continuum

ownership, and beyond. Ultimately it is ‘the beyond’ con-

tinuum to which planning should be committed. Within

the idiom of development theory this is designated as a

‘post’ or ‘neo’ modern phase. This phase denotes the

transition from a modern to a neomodern mode of

development and conservation.

To better understand human attachment to the land, a
qualitative construct, the terra psyche, is postulated and
cultivated within a developmental frame of reference. In
historical terms the continuum of development theory
advances from the collective mana of first peoples
through to the individual ‘rights’ of freehold property

v. organic

iv. hunter / gatherer

iii. primitive

ii. guardianship

i. spiritual

PAST

v. organizational mentality

iv. technological mentality

iii. development mentality

ii. ownership mentality

i. terra psyche

i. capital gains

ii. absolute

privatization

iii. modernist

iv. smart and hard

v. linear

PRESENT

FUTURE

v. organic

iv. clever and

soft

iii. neomodern

ii. stewardship

i. balanced

??

Terra psyche suggests an appreciation for the earth from
within the soul of the individual. When considering terra
psyche from an etymological perspective, ‘terra’ embod-
ies the physical and tangible component of land, while
‘psyche’ represents the abstract perception that every
individual possesses. Hence terra psyche is an expression
which can be applied as a conceptual medium to embrace
the relative qualitative affinity which humanity has with
the land.
When applying the terra psyche construct to the
development and conservancy experience, it is the preva-
lent attitude towards the land which is being articulated.
The first collective attitude to be depicted is that of
indigenous peoples, whose psyche and attachment mani-
fested itself at two levels. One level can be described as
a basic material terra psyche, where land is a resource
supplying the life-giving needs to humanity. Another level
is that of a spiritual terra psyche, evidenced by the infran-
gible bond between indigens and their homeland. The
spiritual terra psyche placed limits on development that
advanced beyond the attainment of basic needs, and
resulted in a non-teleological ‘primitive’ phase. Following
the pre-European era the New World lands were sub-
jected to the arrival of colonial settlers. Their attitude
portrayed an exploitative terra psyche, as land was
treated as an economic commodity with land speculation
rife. Consolidation of the exploitative terra psyche has
occurred up to the present day. The recent circumstance

can be defined as a modernist period of development,

characterized by capital gains. The present transits into

the future phase of neomodern development with

conservancy, which promotes a balanced terra psyche

propelled by a responsible identity with the land.

This cursory survey of the terra psyche not only

reflects intrinsic attitudes towards the land, but also

reinforces the priority assigned to particular organiza-

tional outcomes. Development rights are aligned with the

capital gains psyche, while ‘public’ rights are associated

with the as yet unrealized ‘balanced’ psyche. There is a

conspicuous philosophical rationale in the design of this

terra psyche construct. For example, the rectilinear quan-

tification of land, symptomatic of an exploitative attitude,

reveals a reductionist disposition in pursuit of its short-

term objectives through expedient means; whereas a

balanced terra psyche adopts a holistic awareness of land

and its dynamic qualities. Land is and will continue to be

an indispensable resource for human existence. The ter-

restrial aspect of human organization has been subject to

an evolving state of quantification. Through the cognition

of a terra psyche, the qualitative dimension of land can

be promoted as an integral constituent of neomodern

development.

Source: construct and argument devised by Kevin Wong

Toi.