La 1201 Notes

Overview

* Stewardship – taking care of the environment. Part of LA is taking care of what’s naturally there, and making “new” seem natural.

* Landscape Design – Historical core of the profession

* Site planning – where you put things on the land

* LA involves civil engineers, horticulturists, urban/city planners, landscape contractors, ecological planners

* Some landscape architects design AND build (installation), especially for smaller projects

* Central park was 1st park in the US (definitely on test – mentions it multiple times)

* Fredrick Holmstead: Father of LA, designed Central Park, coined term “landscape Architecture”

Historical Overview

* Egypt and Mesopotamia

* Public architecture – pyramids, special pieces (stone)

* Don’t see domestic architecture – ecologically influenced (made of mud)

* Tombs made of stone b/c they had to last forever. They DID have pictures of gardens in tombs

* Flooding of the Nile R. created rich soil for landscaping and agriculture. Pyramids are above flood plain.

* Design of a garden – Desert landscape

* Environmentally influenced (edible plants, fruits)

* Square, walled off edges to block the hot breeze and sand. Lots of trees to provide shade and vine arbors. Protection and shelter.

* Ponds of water – cools the air inside the enclosed garden (low humidity environment)

* Commoners had gardens too! White washed buildings

* Mesopotamia

* Between Tigris and Euphrates

* “step pyramids” – plants / hangings gardens on each tiered level

* Islamic (622 AD)

* Reflection of ancient garden principles

* Religion adds layer of complexity to gardens

* Coincident w/ western “Dark Ages”

* Huge contrast

* Intellectual Islamic development going on at this time in math, astronomy, Arabic language

* Studied ancient history

* “paradise” described in the...