The Cultural Landscape Foundation
Conference: Second Wave of Modernism in Landscape Architecture in America (November 13-15, 2008 in Chicago)

Friday, November 14

 

Panel 2: Material Sensibilities

Modernism in landscape architecture has a conflicted relationship with materiality, striving to capture the essence of natural environments without mimicking its expression. First wave modernists such as James Rose recycled materials, while Lawrence Halprin, Dan Kiley and A. E. Bye coaxed dynamic configurations and textures from native palettes without replicating nature’s arrangements. Second-wavers broadly interpret material, repositioning it as cultural matter.

 

Topic

Speaker

Qualities of Vegetation

Doug Reed

Maintenance Free/Experimental           

Ken Smith

Engagement   

Michael Van Valkenburgh
   

 

 

Learning Garden for P.S. 19, Queens, NY; Ken Smith Landscape Architect.
(Photo: ESTO Photographics, Inc.)

PS 19, Queens

Framework

Conference curators Jane Amidon and Charles Birnbaum will provide an overview and present the structure for the day.

Friday’s program will consist of three panels, each with three panelists who will each give thirty-minute written presentations in their subject area. Panelists have been invited to speak about particular topics because of potential resonances between their work and the first generation of modernists. Importantly, the presentations are not intended to be an overview of the panelist’s work, but instead, a well considered response to a specific topic. It is expected that panelists will use examples from their own practice to substantiate their points; inclusion of specific precedents or influences from first-wave modernism is encouraged.