Follow the design process of my very first landscape project
Seven years ago, as a recently graduated landscape designer with the big dream of starting my own company, I was clearing a table in the restaurant Auberge des Moules (where I had worked for 11 years at the time), I got into a conversation with two architects from The Hague. They were familiar faces I had seen many times over the years and they asked me how things were going. I told them that it went well and that I had a dream; 'I would like to start my own business and design landscape projects'. To which their response was that this was not a good plan. 'Start by designing smaller gardens first. Make sure you develop your own style, then you learn how to deal with customers and that you become familiar with the technical backgrounds of the design.' It turned out to be the best tip anyone could have ever given me... And so you see that sometimes a complete stranger can make all the difference in your life. In recent years I have been busy developing myself in the field of garden design, managing a company and projects and of course gathering knowledge about plants. And after six years the time has come; I get to design my very first landscape project! Woooohhh so exciting!
THE ASSIGNMENT
The drawing below indicates in dark green exactly which area I may design. It is a huge plot of 16000 m2 where only grass grows at the moment and where there are some trees. Between the green areas you see white blocks that indicate the tall buildings. The horizontal blocks are connected by a glass corridor (very nice!).
At the moment, the green part of the plot has no function, but they want to give it that. The intention is that the quality of life of the people living here in the buildings is increased and that they can have a nice walk in the green area, meet other people or organize activities.
SKETCH/CONCEPT
I take a walk every day. I don't even really care what the weather is: sunny, rainy, foggy, a snow shower. I just have to go outside. I always see something beautiful that makes me glad I went outside afterwards. One of the biggest reasons I put on my hiking boots is my obsession with observing plant communities on the roadsides. I discover all sorts of things. The plants that grow there, the insects that live there, the combinations that nature makes and the rhythm in which plants grow. The last thing I particularly find interesting. In addition to walking, I also travel a lot by car or bicycle. And while I'm on the road I always listen to music. At such times there is not much you can do but stare into the distance and get lost in your own thoughts. And recently I wondered why we can sometimes listen endlessly to a song. I found the answer in the build of it. In the three minutes that a piece of music often lasts, you are taken into a small story that is made up of completely unique characteristic pieces such as the chorus and the verses. These are repeated over and over and and are connected by the rhythm of the beat. The change in the song keeps you listening.
Okay... back to the question of how do I get people out through a design.
For my first sketch ideas I used the technical structure of a piece of music to create the layout of the space. The plot has an intro and an outro; a beginning and an end. It has a chorus; the highlight of the outdoor space that is repeated over and over. It has several stanzas; with a completely different atmosphere than the chorus. And it has a bridge; a kind of glue piece (the paths) between the chorus and the verses.
Each piece has its own character. The walk starts and ends with a water place(one of which is already present).
The chorus, the dark green parts in the drawing, are plant areas where the focus is on the sun and these areas must become the spectacle of the summer. The verse has a completely different atmosphere. The pitches are shady and trees and shrubs play a leading role here. The focus here is mainly on spring and autumn. The bridge are the parts between the verse and the chorus.
By constantly changing the atmosphere during the walk that people can take on the plot, I hope to trigger them to go outside every day. Whether it's sunny, rainy or foggy. There is always something beautiful to see!
These are the first thoughts for the design. Next time I will go deeper into the design so that I can then make the planting plans. The music will still be the source of inspiration in this.
Until next time!