DLB525 History & Criticism of Landscape Design: Reflective Journal

This journal delves into the history and criticism of landscape design, exploring key ideas from ancient European large accommodation landscape design (100 BC to 500 AD) to the mix of classical and gothic styles in the 19th century. It examines religious landscape designs of the medieval ages (500 AD to 1200 AD), the introduction of logic in Renaissance-aged landscapes (1200 AD to 1600 AD), the drama and grandeur of the Baroque period, and the essence of Neoclassicism in 18th century England. The journal further discusses the development of community spaces, legible design and wayfinding, dominance over nature, blurring boundaries, international approaches, embracing nature, and becoming ‘of the landscape’. The document concludes with a design manifesto, references, and an appendix, providing a comprehensive overview of landscape design evolution and its cultural and ideological contexts.

History & Criticism of Landscape Design

Table of Contents
Idea 1: Ancient European Large Accommodation Landscape Design (100 BC to 500 AD)...........................1
Idea 2: Religious Landscape Designs of Medieval Ages (500 AD to 1200 AD)..............................................4
Idea 3: The Renaissance Aged Landscapes: Introduction of Logic (1200 AD to 1600 AD)............................5
Baroque period- More drama and grandeur...............................................................................................7
Idea 5- The essence of Neo Classicalism in 18th century England..............................................................11
Idea 6- Mix of Classical and Gothic 19th century........................................................................................13
Design Manifesto.......................................................................................................................................17
References.................................................................................................................................................17
Appendix...................................................................................................................................................18
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Idea 1: Ancient European Large Accommodation Landscape Design (100 BC to 500 AD)
The ancient Roman Architecture refers to the extension of the classical Greek Architectural
Style. The development of this style took place from the emergence of the powerful Roman
dynasty of ancient European history. The basic technique that can be seen in this sort of
architecture was the use of concrete materials for the first time in the classical European
civilization. This is to be mentioned further that it was the first time when ancient Europe used
the concrete and sustainable model of architecture. The period of such formation indicates the
timeframe from the 500 BC to the 1000 AD. The development of this model was carried with the
use of the arch and dome. The introduction of such technologies brought an epoch-making
change in the history of the European architectural style. To elaborate on this, the architecture of
that period is to be mentioned that the development of such architecture was the product of the
intercourse between both aesthetics and technology. Rome originated Etruscan architecture
when get mixed and enriched by the architecture of Greece; it created the classical European
architecture. It was the transformation of former trabeatedarchitecture which was based on the
columns and lintels to the architecture with massive walls with the arches and domes. The
Roman architecture style adopted the Tuscan and the Composite order in those days. The Tuscan
refers to the short and straightforward variant on the Doric order while the Composite order
refers to the tremendous floral decoration of Corinthian. The greatest achievement of Roman
architecture has been seen from 100 BC to almost 300 AD (Plieninger et al., 2015).
The entire philosophy behind the old aged landscape design was to develop and create a
centralized designing—a designing that focuses on centralized gatherings and thus strengthens
the community spaces. It is to be seen critically that although the private ownership had been
retired at that period, the primitive culture of the commune lifestyle had not been delinked with
the people. That was reflected in landscape designing. If we look at the old Roman and the
Greek architectural styles and the landscape designs, we find the same. The development of the
community spaces and the development of the giant architectural sculpture suggest the
accommodation of an enormous number of people under a single roof. The Coliseum of Rome is
a prime example of this fact. The following figure might be useful to understand the
architectural styles at a glance.
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Fig 1: The Ancient Giant and Large Accommodation Landscape Designing
Source: Created by Researcher
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Figure 2: Roman Concrete
Source: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/researchers-discover-secret-recipe-
roman-concrete-020141
Figure 3:
Roman
Architecture’s Dome
Source: https://romeonsegway.com/10-facts-about-the-pantheon/
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Figure 4:Roman Architecture’s Arch
Source: http://judaism-and-rome.cnrs.fr/arch-hadrian-gerasa-129-130-ce
Figure 5: Roman Tuscan Architecture
Source: :https://www.pinterest.com/pin/132785888985209818/
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Figure 6: Classical Architectures of Rome
Source: https://www.ancient.eu/column/
Idea 2: Religious Landscape Designs of Medieval Ages (500 AD to 1200 AD)
Scene configuration has been rehearsed since the long periods of early Mesopotamia, when the
"land between the streams" first authorized the development of the different patios, chasing
parks, and city gardens. Even though the Garden of Eden, has no real spot of beginning empty
the authoritative content, it has filled in as a fortune and image of harmony for the developing
craft of scene structure for a considerable length of time upon hundreds of years. The Garden of
Eden in itself exemplified the motivation behind a nursery flawlessly and in this manner
prompted an all-inclusive significance being very quickly put on them. It is nothing unexpected,
this being stated, that gardens started to join themselves into all parts of life, running from the
essential nursery of recreation in the King's royal residence to the large and assorted greenhouses
of the extraordinary sanctuaries. It was here that trees with scent were planted joined by all
plants consumable and course of organic product. The thought was to make heaven, a zone of
shade, and strength, for it was here in these incredible nurseries that life felt best and without
burden. If we quick forward four thousand years we are currently in the Middle Ages, and the
other incubator has appeared, this greenhouse is known as the formal nursery. It was here that
individuals came to mull over the profound parts of life and found not the unremarkable but
rather the uncommon (Müller et al., 2013).
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Fig 7- Caerphilly Castle, South Wales
Source: https://www.boone.kyschools.us/docs/building/9/unit%204%20chapter%2015%20and
%20review.pdf
The middle-aged landscape design refers to the development of religion-based architecture and
landscape design. It is fascinating that the old age is known for its buried and dark culture. Some
historians identify this as the most barbaric timeframe in the history of human civilization. This
understanding of this era has impacted upon the middle age architecture and landscape
designing. First and foremost part of this era is the development of the religious
fundamentalism and strong religious faith that changed upon the landscapes. The sculpture of
this era was found to be enriched with the Christian moral essences and model. The Church-like
structures often witnessed more in comparison to other structures.
Another thing that this era had is the destruction of history. Since this age was filled with the
enormous number of wars and victories and achievements and killing of civilizations. The
victors used to replace the existing art and culture, the sculpture and landscapes with their new
creations. They had the zeal to destroy the last trace of older civilization and its culture and
create their own (de Kleijn et al., 2014).
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Idea 3: The Renaissance Aged Landscapes: Introduction of Logic (1200 AD to 1600 AD)
The Italian Renaissance nursery was another style of garden which developed in the late fifteenth
century at estates in Rome and Florence, roused by old-style standards of order and
magnificence, and proposed for the joy of the perspective on the nursery and the scene past, for
thought, and for the happiness regarding the sights, sounds and scents of the nursery itself.
In the late Renaissance, the nurseries increased, more fantastic and increasingly symmetrical, and
were loaded up with wellsprings, statues, caves, water organs and different highlights intended to
please their proprietors and entertain and awe guests. The style was imitated all through Europe,
impacting the plant enclosures of the French Renaissance and the English nursery.
Before the Italian Renaissance, Italian Medieval were encased by dividers and were given to
developing vegetables, and foods are grown from the ground herbs, or, on account of cloister
gardens, for quiet reflection and petition. The Italian Renaissance nursery separated the divider
between the greenhouse, the house, and the scene outside. The art and architecture here
represented a significant amount of humanism as that was also in a developmental phase and
went through extensive experimentation at that time (Hall, 2014).
Fig 8- University of Public Library, Spain
Source: http://fashionskandal.com/greek-architecture-athens/
The Rome at the Renaissance period had shown the urban designing and planning that replaced
the old model of sprawl and disordered cityscapes. The Christian pilgrimage sites throughout the
city were designed with joining paths and landmarks. The main feature of this period's
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architecture was the development of such architecture and urban planning that incorporated the
wayfinding. This means that cites were designed in such a way that one can easily trace a
specific place and may not get lost. The logical ordering was introduced. This refers to the fact
that the introduction of ‘logic' and ‘science', those were the basic feature of the renaissance
period was manifested in the landscape design too (Antrop et al., 2013). This is to be mentioned
further that the period of renaissance historically suggests the period of ‘intensified search and
questioning’ on the social and natural phenomena. This was the fact why that period observed
such a logical and well-structured model of landscape design. Another reason behind this was the
emergence of the colonial interventions throughout the world. That was the reason why the
geography became a sole point of interest and research to intervene the new places. This as a
result developed a culture of creating ordered and structured logical model of places. That was
reflected in the then creations of landscape designs.
The renaissance landscape has another importance. That is the introduction of modern art and
creation. It is to be bore into the mind that this period developed a lot of intellectuals and
rational thinkers. The thought process thus developed in the society was reflected in the art.
This was first time when the landscape designs were influenced by the non-religious objects,
mostly drawn from the socio-political events.
Idea 4- Baroque period- More drama and grandeur
In the 1600s drama, richness, grandeur and exuberant features reflected through art and
architecture in the Baroque period. The Baroque period was influenced by counter-reformation
movement enthused by the church and it witnessed a catholic resurgence. The architecture in this
period aw a huge manifestation of dome shapes, vibrant and bold spaces as well as large masses
were continuously in use all over Europe.
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Baroque in Rome
Fig 9: Church of Santa Susana
Source: https://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi148.htm
This was the first to break the age old conventions that depicted the Mannerist styles. Columns,
pilasters, large massing at the centre with protruding and complex central decoration was one of
the first to portray the complex and grand baroque style in Rome. Subtly playing with the classic
design, the maker Carlo Moderno was able to maintain a level of rigidity of the old style here
(Nijhuis, 2013).
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Fig 10 St. Peter’s Square
Source: http://www.spainisculture.com/en/destinos/caravaca_de_la_cruz.html
The piazza, structured by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, was shaped primarily by two corridors of
unattached sections fixated on an Egyptian monolith .The oval church of Sant'Andrea al
Quirinale wasanother beauty to witness. It was designed with polychome marbles and a
resplendent gold arch. Mainstream engineering incorporated the Palazzo Barberiniand the
Palazzo Chigi-Odescalchi (1664), both in Rome (Turner, 2014).
Baroque in Spain
Through the simple examples of the exteriors of Granada Cathedral by 1667 and Jaén Cathedral,
propose the specialists' which were similar to the deciphering customary themes belonging to the
Spanish places of worships. In Madrid, a regional effect of Baroque with its fundamental
characters in Herrerianstyle can be witnessed and through traditional methods of development of
blocks was created in the Plaza Mayor as well as the Royal Palace of El BuenRetiro, which was
demolished during the French infiltration by Napoleon’s soldiers. Its plant enclosures still stay as
El Retiro park(Carter, 2013).
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