Lecture #5 LARC 1302 History of Landscape Architecture- Egypt, Greece and Rome A.General comments- Take a landscape garden design course (on-line), short course at Harvard and many Botanical Gardens. Visit the National Arboretum, go on a garden tour, visit botanical gardens in your area or on vacation, and take a history of LA course. Think how the garden relates to the culture and its purpose as well as the form……B.How do we interpret ancient gardens when no present day examples exist? a.From paintings, temple/architectural details, travel accounts, sketches, visible remains. b.Plant materials difficult to identify except using DNA or seed samples from tombs c.Ancient gardens were all symbols and expression of perceived or idealized paradise. d.Important agricultural and power images of gardens. e.Meaning of garden: gan in Hebrew means protect or defend; oden or Eden means pleasure or delight. Gardens are enclosures for pleasure and delight…..Legend of Adam and Eve. Genesis 1 & 11 C.Landscape Attitudes and Design Principles a.Formal, Geometric Design- Man/ absolute ruler dominated design b.Religious afterlife purposes, pleasure, kitchen, ornamental design c.Start of pleasure gardens, modest use of plants near temples and major structures. d.Euphrates Valley gardens around 3500 BC. Origin of many fruits and vegetables i.Hanging Garden of Babylon e.Egypt- NILE VALLEY- 3500-500BC. Dominance over nature, Dei ty control by Pharaoh, Relation to Nile and Water, Afterlife Pyramid Design, agricultural settlements, rich had gardens i.THEBES 2000 BC- Rectangular and axial arrangements, vine trellis, fruit trees and irrigation channels f.Greece- Democracy starts to take hold, Greek Gods, Golden Triangle and Proportion in Architecture/Design, development of the City and Bourgeoisie class, Art and Sculpture, absence of pleasure gardens- only for temples and urban elements i.Private homes have interior courtyard, plants in pots, fruit trees g.Rome- “Classic Architecture” from Greeks, dominance of Rome and Emperor, all roads lead to Rome, Middle Class and Urban Development, Sports Facilities, use of water in pools, spas, pleasure gardens i.Private homes similar to Greeks with interior courtyards, plants in pots ii.Rich had country villas, with kitchen gardens, fruit trees, fig and mulberry, fragrant flowers- sites usually on hillsides or near water for view and cooling environment, many structures, pools, terraces etc. iii.Valley of the Tempe, symbolic of Mt Olympus forest iv.Hadrian’s villa at Tivoli AD 117/138D.Landscape Materials and Design Motifs
