Context-sensitive landscape architecture in China
Having criticized the lack of context-sensitive landscape architecture in China, it was a pleasure to find a contrary example: the Tanghe River Park Red Ribbon project:
- it is beautiful
- it is undeniably of its own time
- it is in sync with a long tradition of Chinese landscape architecture: the red colour, the dragon curves, the composition of walks with planting and water
So: well done Turenscape!
Old China had elegant concubines with bound feet strolling in lang corridors. New China can have fleet-of-foot girls bursting with energy as they race through the urban landscape.
Context-sensitive design is a problem for every country - or rather, one should say, for every region. Samuel Johnson remarked, on April 7th 1775, that patriotism is “the last refuge of a scoundrel”. Little did he know how nationalism was going to ravage civilization in the next two centuries. For landscape architecture, it is not so much that it should be “Chinese” in China as that it should be regional: there should be different approaches in Jiangsu, Guangdong and Xinjiang, relating to culture, climate, history, vegetation, geology, hydrology and habits concerning the social life of outdoor space. There can be no part of the world with such a severe shortage of landscape architects as China.
See also: landscape architecture competition for Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China 2009-2010
It is good review on an outstanding design. However, I am not sure it is a “context-sensitive” design. For me, it is a more like a contemporary landscape with pop art.
Comment by wei — August 15, 2008 @ 10:14 am
It looks nice but I don’t think it’s “Context-sensitive”. The symbol of red ribbon is not so Chinese in my opion. It’s more like explanation of modern art to make it feel Chinese.
Comment by Pu — August 17, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
Though tempted to give way to two Chinese commentators, I would like to ask a few questions first: (1) surely the bold use of red is Chinese - and the flowing line reminds me of a brush-stroke (2) the design of a route as a ‘place in itself’, rather than a mere connection between A and B, also seems characteristic of Chinese parks and gardens, (3) apart from sentimental re-creations of historic ideas, what would make a design sensitive to the cultural context of modern China?
Comment by Tom Turner — August 18, 2008 @ 7:21 am
I think that the use of dominant red color and the long curve in a Chinese Park is culturally interesting. A curve and meandering path in a park is something that makes Eastern gardens different from the Western ones. This rared curved elevated walkway protects ecological continuity of the context while providing an entertaining venue.
I believe the design is both ecologically and culturally sensitive.
Comment by Tuan — August 18, 2008 @ 9:08 pm
It is a beautiful modern landscape surely! It is popular in global vision. But I would say it is different conception for Chinese and other country’s people. The design adopt the same visual art methods of great film conductor-Zhang Yimou, who conduct the opening ceremony of 2008 Olympic games. the red, flowing and stretching long are the main characteristic. In fact, the traditional landscape responding to the cultural context can be shown in everyday life, such as shopping, festival celebrating, and folk activities and so on.
Comment by Wu Xiaomin — August 19, 2008 @ 3:54 am
Universal Truths
Blind patriotism and rampant nationalism often lead people to do ugly things - this week’s Olympics saw the home supporters heckle the Japanese volleyball team every time they had control of the ball as they played against China.
Sports is meant to be a celebration of the human spirit - when Western missionaries taught Australian aboriginal children how to play football, they found it hard to understand why the winning side always let the losing side equalise before they ended the game.
Design is a celebration of both the human spirit and the universal spirit - in short a celebration of life.
Good design embraces what life should be - creativity, love, joy, passion and beauty…
Good design is an expression of universal truths.
In the Tanghe River Park the beauty that is Nature is preserved, protected and highlighted. People can experience, enjoy and contemplate this beauty on the physical level, the conscious level and the subconscious level. In so doing, universal truths are revealed.
The red ribbon design while using cultural references which are very obviously Chinese is also drawing upon forces which are more primaeval - the curves of the ribbon play against the proportions of the golden mean, the vibrancy of the red resonates with the very forces of life itself. Bold and subtle at the same time, universal truths are revealed.
Comment by Ben Huang — August 24, 2008 @ 12:18 pm