- Email: [email protected]
Nature in cities. The natural environment in the design and development of urban green space
93
forms of animated life, which like him, are nourished at the table of bounteous nature.” He must come, as F. Engles has stated, to a new harmony with the nature. R. SCHUBERT
(Halle, G.D.R.)
NATURE
IN CITIES
Nature in Cities. The Natural Environment in the Design and Development of Urban Green Space. Ian C. Laurie (Editor). John Wiley and Sons, New York,
1979,
428
pp., illustrated,
ISBN o-471-9960-5.
International literature related to the landscape architect’s sphere of action is rather scarce. In the flow of publications finding their way to our desks it is infrequent to trace a book summarising recent developments in important areas. I have found such: edited by Ian C. Laurie, this book includes 16 articles written by 23 enthusiastic and competent planners and ecologists. The over-all theme of this book is “the natural environment in the design and development of urban green space”. The environmental crisis in the rich countries of the world has contributed to the consideration and urgency of creative thinking among regional and local planners and their collaborators. Well-established knowledge is being shattered by strong criticism. What was considered utopia yesterday is a realistic and necessary basis for today’s activity. During the last decade a surge of new-thinking has kept rolling over the field of activity of all planners. Fortunately, it has also brought new possibilities for the landscape architect involved in physical planning. The editor expresses criticism of yesterday’s parkland policy as follows: “The parkland landscape itself in its ornamental form designed primarily as an aesthetic imposition is often without the enrichment of an ecological base to provide habitat diversity”. This message is not at all remarkable, although expressed in today’s overstated language. What is important to add is the fact that this criticism can be directed at most planning, development and maintenance activities within the urban environment. In spite of its shortcomings, we must acknowledge that most parkland planning contributes to a more diversified and more ‘human’ urban environment. Today, there is a cry for urban renewal. No doubt there is a need for renewal of the ideas for dealing with problems connected to “urban green space”. Do the book’s chapters contribute to this renewal? Do the contributions outline necessary alternatives? In my view the answer must be yes. In the first chapter, The Philosophical Context, Owen Manning’s article, Designing for Nature in Cities, gives a well-balanced and well-documented presentation of a complex theme. To me, his contribution proved to be the
94
best one. It should be enthusiastically welcomed by all professors looking for required reading for courses in urban planning. The other chapters deal with themes in The Ecological Context, Natural History in Cities, Natural Character in Urban Spaces and Landscape Planning and Management. To cover such a wide area might have created problems for both writer and editor. The editor mentions in the introduction that the book is ‘vaguely’ edited. I understand his dilemma; polyscience does not always involve trans-scientific elucidation. Theoretical outlines are not always easy to explain in terms of their practical applications. It may be that the book’s message suffers from this vague editorial treatment. Among other things, I have found that the attempts to illustrate alternative strategies for parkland planning would have been more effective if Rob Tregay’s article about Urban Woodlands had been more closely connected with The Dutch Example: Native Planting in Holland by H.J. Bos and J.L. Mol, as the idea of ‘biotype planting’ is prevalent in both articles, and deserves more detailed treatment. It includes a kind of renewal of the outline for the “urban green space” and thereby the concept for a practical, large-scale development. The book is richly illustrated, which is an asset in a work of this size. The illustrations are, however, generally of rather poor quality with regard to readability, and are inferior to what might be expected. The plan sketches have been excessively reduced, and the photographs are both too small and too dark. In spite of this, the layout of the book gives a favourable visual impression. The book is easy to read, the 23 writers having written interestingly and objectively about their themes. The geographical spread, which includes the U.S.A. and most of western Europe, enables the reader to get an insight into what is at present considered good theory and practice. Some of the writers report on valuable literature, which is helpful for more detailed studies of the subjects here actualised. As such, the book might be of interest to many categories of reader. With its all-roundness and general tackling of the problems it is valuable to both experienced and fresh practitioners in landscape planning. It might also inspire the landscape architect’s cooperators and give perspective to his clients, which may be the most important task in today’s situation. OLAV
R. SKAGE
(Alnarp, Sweden)
forms of animated life, which like him, are nourished at the table of bounteous nature.” He must come, as F. Engles has stated, to a new harmony with the nature. R. SCHUBERT
(Halle, G.D.R.)
NATURE
IN CITIES
Nature in Cities. The Natural Environment in the Design and Development of Urban Green Space. Ian C. Laurie (Editor). John Wiley and Sons, New York,
1979,
428
pp., illustrated,
ISBN o-471-9960-5.
International literature related to the landscape architect’s sphere of action is rather scarce. In the flow of publications finding their way to our desks it is infrequent to trace a book summarising recent developments in important areas. I have found such: edited by Ian C. Laurie, this book includes 16 articles written by 23 enthusiastic and competent planners and ecologists. The over-all theme of this book is “the natural environment in the design and development of urban green space”. The environmental crisis in the rich countries of the world has contributed to the consideration and urgency of creative thinking among regional and local planners and their collaborators. Well-established knowledge is being shattered by strong criticism. What was considered utopia yesterday is a realistic and necessary basis for today’s activity. During the last decade a surge of new-thinking has kept rolling over the field of activity of all planners. Fortunately, it has also brought new possibilities for the landscape architect involved in physical planning. The editor expresses criticism of yesterday’s parkland policy as follows: “The parkland landscape itself in its ornamental form designed primarily as an aesthetic imposition is often without the enrichment of an ecological base to provide habitat diversity”. This message is not at all remarkable, although expressed in today’s overstated language. What is important to add is the fact that this criticism can be directed at most planning, development and maintenance activities within the urban environment. In spite of its shortcomings, we must acknowledge that most parkland planning contributes to a more diversified and more ‘human’ urban environment. Today, there is a cry for urban renewal. No doubt there is a need for renewal of the ideas for dealing with problems connected to “urban green space”. Do the book’s chapters contribute to this renewal? Do the contributions outline necessary alternatives? In my view the answer must be yes. In the first chapter, The Philosophical Context, Owen Manning’s article, Designing for Nature in Cities, gives a well-balanced and well-documented presentation of a complex theme. To me, his contribution proved to be the
94
best one. It should be enthusiastically welcomed by all professors looking for required reading for courses in urban planning. The other chapters deal with themes in The Ecological Context, Natural History in Cities, Natural Character in Urban Spaces and Landscape Planning and Management. To cover such a wide area might have created problems for both writer and editor. The editor mentions in the introduction that the book is ‘vaguely’ edited. I understand his dilemma; polyscience does not always involve trans-scientific elucidation. Theoretical outlines are not always easy to explain in terms of their practical applications. It may be that the book’s message suffers from this vague editorial treatment. Among other things, I have found that the attempts to illustrate alternative strategies for parkland planning would have been more effective if Rob Tregay’s article about Urban Woodlands had been more closely connected with The Dutch Example: Native Planting in Holland by H.J. Bos and J.L. Mol, as the idea of ‘biotype planting’ is prevalent in both articles, and deserves more detailed treatment. It includes a kind of renewal of the outline for the “urban green space” and thereby the concept for a practical, large-scale development. The book is richly illustrated, which is an asset in a work of this size. The illustrations are, however, generally of rather poor quality with regard to readability, and are inferior to what might be expected. The plan sketches have been excessively reduced, and the photographs are both too small and too dark. In spite of this, the layout of the book gives a favourable visual impression. The book is easy to read, the 23 writers having written interestingly and objectively about their themes. The geographical spread, which includes the U.S.A. and most of western Europe, enables the reader to get an insight into what is at present considered good theory and practice. Some of the writers report on valuable literature, which is helpful for more detailed studies of the subjects here actualised. As such, the book might be of interest to many categories of reader. With its all-roundness and general tackling of the problems it is valuable to both experienced and fresh practitioners in landscape planning. It might also inspire the landscape architect’s cooperators and give perspective to his clients, which may be the most important task in today’s situation. OLAV
R. SKAGE
(Alnarp, Sweden)