This study has shown that the Landscape Architect has a significant role in the reconstruction of cities after war. The profession’s remit is the design of the public domain and the coordination of the built environment. On a project as large as Sarajevo the image of the city is a result of the Landscape Architect’s vision and the ability to unite the work of the other professionals. Landscape Architecture has the capability to understand the psychological effect that the landscape has on society. This can be used to neutralise aggression and promote reconciliation. It also has a substantial role in helping the community come to terms with their loss of people, lifestyle and the city they once knew.

Several lessons can be learned from studying the reconstruction of Coventry. First is the importance of securing funding during the initial stages of the redevelopment plan. The Government's failure to provide this meant that implementation was delayed and unnecessary revisions were forced on the designers. Secondly, Coventry was the contemporary vision of one man. Reconstruction would have benefited from the involvement of a wider group of professionals, whose knowledge and expertise would have resulted in a more practical solution. Thirdly, the enthusiasm of the public for the modern city centre was not curbed. They needed to be educated about the importance of culture and heritage in the urban fabric.

Nevertheless, Gibson introduced new concepts in urban design. Coventry was one of the first cities to incorporate a pedestrian orientated city centre. With hindsight the idea was not as successful as envisaged because it was not flexible enough to adapt to changes in society. The concept of pedestrianised city centres is still in practice but has since been refined and found to be a successful component of the public domain. Significantly for Landscape Architecture, the need for amenity space was recognised. This produced a park system linked by a network of public walkways and connections to the agriculture belt surrounding the city. This is another example that has become a customary part of urban landscape.

Beirut demonstrates the importance of establishing a coordinating body, to manage finance and pave the way for the reconstruction process. It also shows the value of a balance between new development and the restoration of the older city structure. It has been shown that the community requires references to their history and culture in order to accept new development. In an effort to re-establish a cosmopolitan feel to the city the original plans placed too much emphasis on the adoption of foreign culture. The result was an unfamiliar urban fabric with little recognition of Beirut’s heritage. The public demand for revision and the form which it took illustrates the benefit to be had from public consultation. In Beirut this contributed to a sense of ownership and acceptance of the redevelopment by the community. It was recognised in the design of Beirut that the public realm was an important part of the healing process. The design of this was the responsibility of the Landscape Architect employing the use of an open space network within the city to provide locations that would promote the revival of tolerance by encouraging the community to mix. Beirut clarifies the role of the Landscape Architect and the significance of the profession in redevelopment through the introduction of a coordinating plan, the Landscape Framework, that controls the urban environment and the construction that occurs within it.

The recommendations given here have been generated from the perspective of a Landscape Architect to demonstrate the beneficial knowledge and skill the profession can bring to a project as sensitive as this. They do not ignore the contribution invested by other related disciplines but show that the profession has a unique capacity to influence the balance and atmosphere of environments in a restoration programme where an objective is to bring about reconciliation in a multicultured society. Four basic recommendations have been made.

1. Institution of a sound financial base by setting up a control agency whose responsibility is the reconstruction of the public domain of footpaths, street landscape and urban space. This organisation would also be a focus for inward investment, which in turn would bring employment and bring back tourists.
2. Reconstruction of Sarajevo as a sustainable city with the concomitant establishment of improved green space and efficient design that accentuates the role of natural vegetation to reduce pollution and improve air and environmental quality.
3. Ensure the presentation of the rich historical and cultural heritage of Sarajevo through the extension of links, squares and parks that will enhance its significance and provide locations in which the ethnic communities can intermingle and enjoy together a variety of recreations.
4. The Landscape Architect should become the co-ordinator for the entire program of reconstruction. As the main designer of the public realm the Landscape Architect is in a good position to influence the work of the other professions involved in the development of the reconstruction project. The experience of Beirut shows that it is important to have public participation in the drafting of a strategy. Landscape Architects are well placed to act as an interface between other professions and the public, since training gives an overview of the work of other disciplines.

The recommendations offered here are synthesised from information sources discussed in previous sections and from other published work. They suggest a number of actions that would contribute to the reconstruction of Sarajevo, nurture its multiethnic society and be a symbol of defiance to those who attempted to prevent the growth of ethnic tolerance. Landscape design and reconstruction of the public realm can foster a community that maintains its rich cultural heritage, deals with the repercussions of conflict, and is able to step confidently into the next century.