Landscape Architecture: Types, History, and Key Projects

Landscape Architecture: From Ancient Roots to Modern Design

Landscape architecture finds its roots in ancient Persia and Mesopotamia, but the term itself is rather modern. The landscape, viewed as an ecosystem, emphasizes the diversity of its flora and fauna. When linked to ethnology, landscape architecture is interested in its relationship with the lifestyles of different cultures that have inhabited a place. Society evolves along with the landscape, and the landscape is inherently associated with nature.

Types of Landscapes

• Urban Landscape: Characterized by human-made structures and infrastructure within a city or town.
• Natural or Rural Landscape: Dominated by natural features such as mountains, forests, and bodies of water.

Martha Schwartz: A Pioneer in Landscape Architecture

Martha Schwartz is a renowned American landscape architect with over 25 years of experience. She studied landscape architecture and has expressed a keen interest in working with the landscape to enhance buildings and urban spaces. She has collaborated with prominent architects such as Arata Isozaki, Philip Johnson, Santiago Calatrava, and Jean Nouvel. Schwartz combines various concepts in her work, focusing on the user's experience, aesthetics, tactile relationships, color, and sound.

Key Projects by Martha Schwartz

Becton Dickinson

At the Becton Dickinson building, Schwartz created diverse spaces with varying heights, including courtyards, pools, trees, and shrubs, designed to stimulate the imagination of the employees.

Davis Residence

For the Davis Residence, Schwartz transformed the English-style gardens into a Mexican-inspired landscape, reflecting the homeowners' love for Mexican architecture.

Center for Technological Innovation

At the Center for Technological Innovation, Schwartz addressed the issue of an empty parking lot by reimagining its design and functionality.

Kigata Gifu, Japan

Commissioned for a project involving only women architects, Schwartz designed four residential buildings in Kigata Gifu, Japan. She took over the entire outdoor area, creating a continuous shaft in the courtyard with parking lots and recreational areas. The four blocks of parking lots were designed to relate to the types of patios.

Kashi Nexus III Housing Project, Japan

In the Kashi Nexus III Housing Project, Schwartz created an artificial landscape using patterns, shapes, and materials. She transformed the parking lot into an aesthetic element, using orange circles, rows of palm trees, and white lines to indicate pedestrian movement. She also incorporated mounds of grass to create circuits, adding visual interest to the space.

HUD Plaza, Washington

At HUD Plaza in Washington, Schwartz designed a plaza outside the Department of Housing and Urban Development building. She incorporated pots of grass with circular umbrellas to provide shade and security during significant events.

Manchester Exchange Square, England

In Manchester Exchange Square, Schwartz replaced traditional park benches with strategically placed stones, allowing each user to find a different utility.

Jacob Javits Plaza, New York

After the demolition of the old Jacob Javits Plaza and the removal of a Richard Serra sculpture, Schwartz proposed curvilinear benches around mounds of grass, allowing people to sit and face any direction they desired.

Jailhouse Garden King County, Seattle

Schwartz designed the Jailhouse Garden in King County, Seattle, using crosses, circles, cones, and concrete to create a space where people could visit their relatives in prison. The garden includes a recreation area designed to minimize auditory saturation.

FIFA World Cup 1994, USA

For the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Schwartz designed all pedestrian areas using geometric patterns and colors to help people easily locate facilities.

Minneapolis Courthouse

Schwartz also contributed to the design of the Minneapolis Courthouse.

Grand Canal Square, Dublin

In Dublin's Grand Canal Square, Schwartz was tasked with designing the public area to standardize the different projects.

Splice Garden, Whitehead Institute, Cambridge

The Splice Garden at the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge showcases an excessive use of colored trees.

Swiss Re, Munich

At Swiss Re in Munich, Schwartz designed playgrounds with different colors and vegetation, providing diverse applications within these courts to inspire people rather than confine them to offices.

Marina Linear Park, San Diego

In San Diego's Marina Linear Park, Schwartz created mounds of grass and flowers, along with small stone walls, to divide the vast space into different courtyards.