PROJECT ONE: ELEMENTS OF TYPEIMAGE BOOKLET

Francesca MaysInstructor: Ray Senes

Spring 2019LA 2121

CENTRAL PARK1857NEW YORK, USAFREDERICK LAW OLMSTED &CALVERT VAUX

Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux joined a competition in 1857 to plan the space inspired by the French and English gardens of the time that were used for leisure. The French landscapes were ornate and exemplified wealth but offered visual variances alongside symmetry. Meanwhile, the English Landscape Movement had pastoral landscapes for viewing and gazing, many with expansive lawns. Today, Central Park often serves as an example of the American Landscape, thus, it captures historical importance due to its mixture of styles and importance for other gardens today. Additionally, its use of pathways designated for various purposes was also a major feat, for the time. Pedestrian was separated from Carriage, and Equestrian circulation, preventing many accidents and providing a much different experience because, the view points were not only different, but the worries of pedestrians near a carriage was lessened.

Olmstead and Vaux’s intension were to create a place for viewing, strolling, but multidimensional because of its spaces. Central Park can be described as having “rooms”, which have developed into different uses over time, but are ultimately still

used separately from other areas. Thus, the pathways help separate these “rooms” and programs, which also helps orient oneself. This garden can be related to Burle Marx’s lecture discussing Rhythm on page 118. His discussion ultimately delineates the difference between Rhythm and Repetition. The rhythm of Central park undulates and differs throughout, while repetition is more singular and stagnant. Central Park also works together as a whole, and not separately, each part works with the next, like Burle Marx’s description of planting textures work with one another in a successful garden.

The historical socio-economic influence when the competition was suggested was due to wealthy landowners and merchants whom wanted a space for their carriages and was funded by them. As a result, many of the lawns were not used for play until later in the 1900s, where children had to receive permission from the city. Today, the lawns are still more leisure in programming, and prevent large organized sports, but in comparison to its beginnings, Central Park has evolved. A variety of users from various socio-economic classes utilize the garden, some areas are more prone to

bring in office workers, but they do not exclude anyone. Its natal socio-economic controversy was the land, because although the land was rough, rocky, and marsh-like, a settlement was on the 843 acres, primarily of African Americans. This land also played large part following the Civil War for voting purposes. Many cities are not new to “eminent domain”, but the historical importance of retaining culture is something to be aware of and decide what should me retained, what could be redesigned, or what should be in between. Overall, we see that Central Park is an example of many American Parks, but like all things man-made it still includes its discrepancies, so we can learn from this and change in response.

Footnotes:-https://heritageradionetwork.org/podcast/the-naturalist-episode-88-seneca-village-and-central-park/-https://hiddenwatersblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/27/gill/-https://www.centralpark.com/visitor-info/park-history/overview/-http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/seneca-village-site.html

Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux joined a competition in 1857 to plan the space inspired by the French and English gardens of the time that were used for leisure. The French landscapes were ornate and exemplifi ed wealth but off ered visual variances alongside symmetry. Meanwhile, the English Landscape Movement had pastoral landscapes for viewing and gazing, many with expansive lawns. Today, Central Park often serves as an example of the American Landscape, thus, it captures historical importance due to its mixture of styles and importance for other gardens today. Additionally, its use of pathways designated for various purposes was also a major feat, for the time. Pedestrian was separated from Carriage, and Equestrian circulation, preventing many accidents and providing a much diff erent experience because, the view points were not only diff erent, but the worries of pedestrians near a carriage was lessened.

Olmsted and Vaux’s intension were to create a place for viewing, strolling, but multidimensional because of its spaces. Central Park can be described as having “rooms”, which have developed into diff erent uses over time, but are ultimately still used separately from other areas. Thus, the

pathways help separate these “rooms” and programs, which also helps orient oneself. This garden can be related to Burle Marx’s lecture discussing Rhythm on page 118. His discussion ultimately delineates the diff erence between Rhythm and Repetition. The rhythm of Central park undulates and diff ers throughout, while repetition is more singular and stagnant. Central Park also works together as a whole, and not separately, each part works with the next, like Burle Marx’s description of planting textures work with one another in a successful garden.

The historical socio-economic infl uence when the competition was suggested was due to wealthy landowners and merchants whom wanted a space for their carriages and was funded by them. As a result, many of the lawns were not used for play until later in the 1900s, where children had to receive permission from the city. Today, the lawns are still more leisure in programming, and prevent large organized sports, but in comparison to its beginnings, Central Park has evolved. A variety of users from various socio-economic classes utilize the garden, some areas are more prone to bring in offi ce workers, but they do not exclude anyone. Its natal socio-economic controversy was the land, because although

the land was rough, rocky, and marsh-like, a settlement was on the 843 acres, primarily of African Americans. This land also played large part following the Civil War for voting purposes. Many cities are not new to “eminent domain”, but the historical importance of retaining culture is something to be aware of and decide what should me retained, what could be redesigned, or what should be in between. Overall, we see that Central Park is an example of many American Parks, but like all things man-made it still includes its discrepancies, so we can learn from this and change in response.

Footnotes:-https://heritageradionetwork.org/podcast/the-naturalist-episode-88-seneca-village-and-central-park/-https://hiddenwatersblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/27/gill/-https://www.centralpark.com/visitor-info/park-history/overview/-http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/seneca-village-site.html

Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux joined a competition in 1857 to plan the space inspired by the French and English gardens of the time that were used for leisure. The French landscapes were ornate and exemplifi ed wealth but off ered visual variances alongside symmetry. Meanwhile, the English Landscape Movement had pastoral landscapes for viewing and gazing, many with expansive lawns. Today, Central Park often serves as an example of the American Landscape, thus, it captures historical importance due to its mixture of styles and importance for other gardens today. Additionally, its use of pathways designated for various purposes was also a major feat, for the time. Pedestrian was separated from Carriage, and Equestrian circulation, preventing many accidents and providing a much diff erent experience because, the view points were not only diff erent, but the worries of pedestrians near a carriage was lessened.

Olmsted and Vaux’s intension were to create a place for viewing, strolling, but multidimensional because of its spaces. Central Park can be described as having “rooms”, which have developed into diff erent uses over time, but are ultimately still used separately from other areas. Thus, the

pathways help separate these “rooms” and programs, which also helps orient oneself. This garden can be related to Burle Marx’s lecture discussing Rhythm on page 118. His discussion ultimately delineates the diff erence between Rhythm and Repetition. The rhythm of Central park undulates and diff ers throughout, while repetition is more singular and stagnant. Central Park also works together as a whole, and not separately, each part works with the next, like Burle Marx’s description of planting textures work with one another in a successful garden.

The historical socio-economic infl uence when the competition was suggested was due to wealthy landowners and merchants whom wanted a space for their carriages and was funded by them. As a result, many of the lawns were not used for play until later in the 1900s, where children had to receive permission from the city. Today, the lawns are still more leisure in programming, and prevent large organized sports, but in comparison to its beginnings, Central Park has evolved. A variety of users from various socio-economic classes utilize the garden, some areas are more prone to bring in offi ce workers, but they do not exclude anyone. Its natal socio-economic controversy was the land, because although

the land was rough, rocky, and marsh-like, a settlement was on the 843 acres, primarily of African Americans. This land also played large part following the Civil War for voting purposes. Many cities are not new to “eminent domain”, but the historical importance of retaining culture is something to be aware of and decide what should me retained, what could be redesigned, or what should be in between. Overall, we see that Central Park is an example of many American Parks, but like all things man-made it still includes its discrepancies, so we can learn from this and change in response.

Footnotes:-https://heritageradionetwork.org/podcast/the-naturalist-episode-88-seneca-village-and-central-park/-https://hiddenwatersblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/27/gill/-https://www.centralpark.com/visitor-info/park-history/overview/-http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/seneca-village-site.html