European Landscape Architecture: Renaissance to Romanticism

European Landscape Architecture: Culture and Design

The European School of landscape architecture, encompassing traditions like the Italian Renaissance, the French Baroque, and English quaintness, understands that landscape is composed not only of water, soil, and animals but also of the viewer's imagination.

The Landscape as a Cultural Construct

The landscape is fundamentally a cultural construct. To define and discuss landscape, several prior conditions must be met:

• Narratives: The existence of stories and myths where nature appears, providing a cultural framework for description.
• Terminology: The presence of a specific word to describe it, acknowledging that landscape is perceived through the lens of humanity.
• Representations: Supporting visual or artistic representations.
• Action: The ability to act upon and modify the environment.

The scenery is everything that lies before us. It is common to discuss both landscape and cityscape. The focus on the suffix -scape emphasizes that the landscape is inevitable. This concept allows the definition of landscape to include abandoned industrial sites, cities in ruins, or modern financial centers.

Key Concepts in Landscape Perception

Wilderness: This refers to the savage or untamed state of the landscape. In North America, there has been a historical struggle against this state, leading to the creation of highly managed spaces like park-like cemeteries and golf courses. This represents the domain of the artificial over the wild.

Arcadia: This concept stems from a nostalgia for a primitive state of nature, where humanity was supposedly kinder, fairer, and more beautiful—a kind of Garden of Eden state. Europeans often sought to rebuild this lost Arcadia. For instance, the English tradition aimed to create pastoral gardens reflecting this ideal.

The Influence of Claude Lorrain

The 17th-century painter Claude Lorrain produced many works that were reproductions of idealized landscapes. When painting, Claude would select and fragment nature, then reassemble and place these elements in his own way, striving to create perfect balance within his compositions. After his death, the Claude-glass became popular among tourists crossing Europe. This small, tinted mirror was used to frame the landscape, allowing people to see if the view was worthy of painting by mimicking the aesthetic qualities of Lorrain's work.

Case Study: Villa Medici, Fiesole

The Villa Medici in Fiesole, attributed to the architect Bartolomeo Vicelosso, is situated on the outskirts of Florence, approximately 250 meters above the city level. It served as a weekend retreat, allowing its owners to escape the urban environment.

Design and Geometric Rationalization

The approach to the Villa Medici was designed to be an experience. Visitors reached the villa by climbing a curved path where trees were strategically planted to form a veil. Along this course, glimpses of the city of Florence were visible through the trees, culminating in the sudden reveal of the villa itself.

The design is characterized by three distinct platforms overlooking Florence, demonstrating a geometric rationalization of nature:

1. First Platform (Entrance Garden): This area features a fountain that divides the layout of the pasture. A separate carriage way allowed guests to be dropped off before the carriages returned.
2. Courtyard: Located on the other side of the house, this area contains a courtyard with a central fountain.
3. Lower Garden: Access to this platform requires passing through the interior of the house. This platform leads to a garden situated below the main entrance level.

The platforms were carefully measured and given a precise geometric design, reflecting the Renaissance desire to impose order and rational structure upon the natural world.