The Definition of Space in the Landscape:
Three Non-Parallel Planes in a [Garden] Setting
Introduction
Objectives
Site and Context
Project
Program
Procedure
Requirements
Evaluation Criteria
Readings
Schedule
|
We have no longer an outside and an inside as two separate things.
Now the outside may come inside, and the inside may and does go outside. They are of each other... Frank Lloyd Wright |
|
Introduction
Exercise 4 continues to be concerned with space and its modulation. While it summarizes the lessons learned so far this semester, it goes beyond those lessons: a transition is made from abstract explorations to a more realistic design project with several contextual parameters and a program that incorporates both architectural and landscape elements. In contemporary gardens, such as the Miller garden by Dan Kiley, spaces are frequently geometrically ordered. Rectangularly configured spaces tend to be demarcated by hedges, walls, rows of trees and other space defining elements. While the exterior spaces of the Miller garden are simple in their configuration, a multitude of readings is possible. The overall order of the garden is based on the design of the house: the interior spaces pinwheel outward from a central living room and the garden spaces are laid out in a centrifugal configuration outward from the house. The house is not separate from the landscape but exists as an environmentally conditioned part of the greater garden. Interior rooms and garden areas have thus been "rendered spatially coincident: only the shift in vocabulary from living vegetation to inert building materials distinguishes the two realms." In preparation for this exercise, a field trip should offer insights and inspiration into landscape design and provide opportunities to study forms and proportions of a variety of trees and other plant materials through sketching and drawing. Objectives
Site and Context Located on a flat-topped bluff, the site of 40' x 56' is in a residential neighborhood. The Western edge of the site is defined by a steep cliff falling approximately 250' down to the Pacific. North and south boundaries are established by 8' walls on the property lines. Parking is possible near the site and will thus not have to be provided for on-site. Project The owner of a small piece of land overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a patron of the arts and benefactor in her community, has decided to turn her property into a contemplative garden and to make it available to the public in a limited way. The garden should feel like a realm set apart from the everyday world in time and space. An eight foot high enclosure surrounding the property defines the overall space of the garden, shields the visitors from outside views and protects them from external disturbances. Visitors penetrate the enclosure through a gateway that marks the beginning of the experience within the contemplative realm. The organization of the garden is based upon clear architectural order: it should be formal in character but overall symmetry is not required. Rather, clearly hierarchically ordered spaces should create a balanced design proposal. A stroll through the garden should reveal a variety of spaces that stimulate the senses, evoke thought and end at the destination point: a space from where the view of the distant Pacific becomes the stimulus for a contemplative experience. The three planes construct may be used as a device for defining the entry transition, as a seating pavilion for viewing sculpture within the garden, or as a seating pavilion for viewing the ocean. Program In addition to the construct of three non-parallel planes, the overall dimensions of which are now 16' x 16' x 16', other architectural and landscape elements may be employed to define smaller spaces within the confines of the walled site, including masonry walls, meticulously trimmed hedges, trees, planters, and so on. The garden design should include a body of still water to encourage a mood of reflection and to provide a sense of coolness on a hot summer day; a place for five people to sit on the edge of a slab of granite and enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean; a place protected from the frequently intense sun, and an open lawn. Hard surfaced horizontal planes are made of 1' x 1' and/or 2' x 2' pavers. The client has selected two sculptures from her extensive collection to be placed meaningfully in the garden: Isamu Noguchi's Helix of the Endless (1985, granite, height 15") and Henry Moore's Animal Form (1969, Roman travertine, length 48 1/2"). Procedure Employing the scale of ½" = 1'-0", place your original construct of three non-parallel planes in the field of 40' x 56' and subdivide the field into a series of well defined spaces that have strongly articulated relationships to one another. A clear hierarchy of spaces should be created and there should be no residual conditions. The field is defined as a 1" thick 20" x 28" base. You may carve into the base 1/4" and build up vertical planes from the base not to exceed a height of 16'. All relationships must be orthogonal. Refer to the "kit of parts" for recommended architectural and landscape architectural elements. Requirements A presentation model at ½" = 1'-0" scale, made of foam core board, white four-ply Strathmore board, white painted bass wood, and Styrofoam coated with Gesso for landscape elements. The 20" x 28" base should be made of a solid foamcore base that is covered in Strathmore board. Study models may utilize other materials. Drawings at ½" = 1"-0" will be pencil on vellum and show diagrams of the ideas underlying the design proposal, a plan, as well as longitudinal and transverse sections. More specific information related to the layout of the drawings will be provided by your instructor. Evaluation Criteria
Readings Francis D.K. Ching. Architecture: Form, Space and Order.
Christopher Alexander. A Pattern Language. Patterns:
Gregg Bleam. Modern and Classical Themes in the Work of Dan Kiley. (handout -- excerpted from Marc Treib. Modern Landscape Architecture: A Critical Review.) Schedule Issued: 1 November (5 weeks) |
