From space to place: Changing conceptual priorities in landscape architecture

This study examines the changing conceptual priorities between the concepts of space and place in landscape architecture literature through a systematic literature review. Although the concepts of space and place have long been discussed in architecture and spatial disciplines, their changing prominence within landscape architecture literature has not been systematically evaluated through quantitative methods. In this context, the study aims to reveal the historical development process of the literature and to identify the conceptual transformation from space-oriented approaches toward place-oriented approaches. The analysis is based on three separate datasets obtained from the Web of Science database. These datasets consist of 8,088 studies containing the concept of “space” but not the concept of “place” in all years (1978–2026), 1,948 studies containing both the concepts of “space” and “place” in all years (1981–2026), and 4,137 studies containing the concept of “place” but not the concept of “space” in all years (1980–2026). Indicators such as annual scientific production, citation trends, keyword co-occurrences, conceptual network structures, and thematic developments were analyzed. The findings reveal that the concept of space has a broader quantitative prevalence in the literature, particularly in the context of urban environment, design, and spatial organization. In contrast, place-oriented studies, although more limited in number, demonstrate higher citation impact and stronger theoretical depth. The increasing number of studies addressing both concepts together indicates that physical and experiential dimensions are becoming increasingly integrated within landscape architecture. Overall, the results demonstrate that research in landscape architecture has expanded from physical spatial analyses toward more holistic and place-based approaches involving user experience, place identity, and meaning production.