Reading and writing landscape:

Abstract

While this is a design thesis with concepts tested on the grounds of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, it is also an investigation into the history of design theory. The underlying premise is that while the Botanical Garden (like gardens around the world) include a number of international gardens, those gardens too often only replicate forms void of any understanding of what drove a particular culture’s garden design moves in the first place. To test this idea a single site at the Botanical Garden is designed in two ways: first to represent theory and forms associated with traditional Chinese gardens and second to reflect ideas associated with the 18th century and early 19th century English Landscape School garden. For both of those garden types and traditions the thesis addresses site (the perspectives on place), sight (planning for views and vistas), and insight (the ideas and underlying philosophy associated with the design type). While these two design heritages have been after compared favorably as being about natural expression, the design solutions reflect both the commonalities and the differences between the two traditions.