Ghost Rivers and Daylighting in Urban Landscapes

This book examines the concealment, rediscovery, and restoration of urban "ghost rivers" through case studies. It analyses cultural, historical, and sociohydrological dimensions of buried waterways, exploring how processes of daylighting and heritage recognition contribute to understanding urban environmental and anthropological change. Across the world's major cities, many rivers and streams have been covered over and channelled underground in the pursuit of urban order and expansion. These hidden waterways - sometimes known as 'ghost rivers' - linger beneath the surface, shaping cityscapes, cultural imaginaries and contemporary environmental debates. This volume commences by investigating the histories, meaning and afterlives of ghost rivers through case studies in London, Sydney and Tokyo. It then examines the growing international movement to 'daylight' concealed rivers with reference to influential projects such as Seoul's Cheonggyecheon stream and related initiatives in New York and Sheffield (UK). Bringing together perspectives from disciplines such as sociohydrology, cultural geography and urban studies, the book situates river concealment and restoration within broader discussions of environmental heritage, memory and urban sustainability. It reveals how the material and metaphorical 'ghostliness' of buried rivers continues to inform debates on nature, culture and the reimagination of cities in the Anthropocene. An interesting read for undergraduate and postgraduate students of sociohydrology, urban studies, urban planning and cultural geography, that will also be illuminating for practitioners and policymakers. Across the world's major cities, many rivers and streams have been buried, culverted, or channelled underground in the pursuit of urban order and expansion. These hidden waterways-sometimes known as "ghost rivers"-linger beneath the surface, shaping cityscapes, cultural imaginaries, and contemporary environmental debates. This volume investigates the histories, meanings, and afterlives of ghost rivers through comparative case studies in London, Sydney, and Tokyo.. It examines the growing international movement to "daylight" concealed rivers as both ecological intervention and cultural practice, with reference to influential projects such as Seoul's Cheonggyecheon Stream and similar initiatives in New York and Sheffield (UK) Bringing together perspectives from cultural geography, urban studies, and sociohydrology, the book situates river concealment and restoration within broader discussions of environmental heritage, memory, and urban sustainability. It reveals how the material and metaphorical "ghostliness" of buried rivers continues to inform debates on nature, culture, and the reimagination of cities in the Anthropocene. A interesting read for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Tourism, Urban Studies, Urban Planning, Cultural Geography and Hydrology students, practitioners and policymakers