Illustrated History of Landscape Design

A visual journey through the history of landscape design For thousands of years, people have altered the meaning of space by reshaping nature. As an art form, these architectural landscape creations are stamped with societal imprints unique to their environment and place in time. Illustrated History of Landscape Design takes an optical sweep of the iconic landscapes constructed throughout the ages. Organized by century and geographic region, this highly visual reference uses hundreds of masterful pen-and-ink drawings to show how historical context and cultural connections can illuminate today's design possibilities. This guide includes: Storyboards, case studies, and visual narratives to portray spaces Plan, section, and elevation drawings of key spaces Summaries of design concepts, principles, and vocabularies Historic and contemporary works of art that illuminate a specific era Descriptions of how the landscape has been shaped over time in response to human need Directing both students and practitioners along a visually stimulating timeline, Illustrated History of Landscape Design is a valuable educational tool as well as an endless source ofinspiration.

Introduction xi Prehistory–6th Century 1 Cosmological Landscapes 2 Ancient Gardens 4 Landscape and Architecture 6 Genius Loci 8 6th–15th Centuries 15 Western Europe: Walled Minds, Walled Gardens 20 Moorish Spain: An Indelible Influence 28 China: Nature’s Splendor in a Garden 38 Japan: In the Spirit of Nature 46 15th Century 57 Japan: Muromachi Era 61 China: Ming Dynasty 65 Central Asia: Timurid Garden Cities 66 Italy: Curious Minds, Broadened Vistas 68 16th Century 75 Italy: The Rebirth of Rome 79 Renaissance Gardens in France and England 93 The Early Botanic Garden: An Encyclopedia of Plants 99 Early Mughal Gardens: Persian Art Forms Travel East 100 Japan: The Momoyama Era 101 17th Century 107 Japan: Edo Period 111 The Mughal Empire: Sacred Symmetries 119 Persian Gardens of Paradise 124 Italian Baroque Styles 127 The Flowering of the Dutch Landscape 133 English Gardens: A Restrained Mix of European Styles 134 French Classical Gardens: The Control of Nature 136 18th Century 147 England: The Development of the Landscape Garden 151 The Landscape Garden in France 164 China: Qianlong’s Imprint 165 Early American Gardens: Homeland Traditions 171 19th Century 177 England: The Victorians and Their Plants 181 France: Republics and Empires 186 Landscape Architecture in America 189 20th Century 203 The Gilded Age: Extremes of Wealth and Poverty 207 The New Aesthetic of Modernism 211 Environmental Art: Nature as Medium 219 Artistic Trends in Landscape Design 220 Environmental and Ecological Design 222 Postmodern Landscapes 223 21st Century 23 1 A Sustainable Earth: Ten Ideas 232 Endnotes 245 Bibliography 251 Index 255