Comments on: Context-sensitive landscape architecture in China http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2008/08/15/context-sensitive-landscape-architecture-in-china/ News and debate from Gardenvisit.com Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:14:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ben Huang http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2008/08/15/context-sensitive-landscape-architecture-in-china/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Ben Huang Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:18:33 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=39#comment-55 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. 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.

]]> By: Wu Xiaomin http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2008/08/15/context-sensitive-landscape-architecture-in-china/comment-page-1/#comment-38 Wu Xiaomin Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:54:01 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=39#comment-38 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. 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.

]]> By: Tuan http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2008/08/15/context-sensitive-landscape-architecture-in-china/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Tuan Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:08:32 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=39#comment-37 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. 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.

]]> By: Tom Turner http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2008/08/15/context-sensitive-landscape-architecture-in-china/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Tom Turner Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:21:37 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=39#comment-36 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? 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?

]]> By: Pu http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2008/08/15/context-sensitive-landscape-architecture-in-china/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Pu Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:17:23 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=39#comment-35 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. 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.

]]> By: wei http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2008/08/15/context-sensitive-landscape-architecture-in-china/comment-page-1/#comment-31 wei Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:14:11 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=39#comment-31 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. 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.

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