Blog Post 4 - Copenhagen Green Spaces

5 Copenhagen Green Spaces That Promote Well-Being

The different green spaces we visited during the field study for Garden Art in European Culture all seemed to revolve around a similar purpose of promoting well-being for the population that occupied them. However, each one targeted and achieved this goal in different ways. The first area we visited, Mimersparken, was easily accessible for the residential area occupied by 16,000 residents. It's football pitch, hockey rink, basketball court, and playground provide areas where residents can exercise and enjoy sports, which help promote individuals well-being. Furthermore, the expansiveness of it allows for community gatherings to enhance social interactions and a sense of belonging among the community members.

The second area we visited, Superkilen, used similar techniques as Mimersparken to promote well-being, but also differentiated itself. The park uses objects such as benches, trash bins, trees, and playground toys from different parts of the world to celebrate the diversity of its residents. It creates a sense of world and cultural inclusiveness inside one park in Copenhagen. This sense of belonging is imperative to well-being. The park also features areas where children can play and older residents can sit and talk.

The third place we visited was the Assistens Kirkegaard, which is the cemetery where numerous notable Danish citizens lay to rest. The cemetery honors and remembers the deceased by keeping the area full of trees and flowers and keeping the pathways well kept. This area seems to target and promote well-being because it goes beyond just remembrance of the past and the finality of death as it allows individuals to take a walk through a beautiful and serene area and avoid the busy and noisy streets.

The Botanisk Have provided a calming and pleasant escape from urban life as it was essentially a scene from nature plopped down in the middle of the city. All kinds of animals, such as turtles, birds, and ducks were on display for people to view from just a short distance away. In a sense, the Botanisk Have felt like an area that could provide a modern day otium because of the ability to relax and engage in activities outside those of everyday life.

The last place we visited was the Østre Anlæg which was a park by the National Art Museum and Østerport station. This park allowed for individuals to learn about art and then to lay in the lush grass and enjoy the sun. Hidden farther into the park was a play area for kids, which was well thought out as it was deep enough away that the noises from the park were drowned out, but also gave an area for families to gather and enjoy themselves.

This link provides insight into Copenhagens "pocket parks"
http://www.dac.dk/en/dac-cities/sustainable-cities/all-cases/green-city/copenhagen---pocket-parks-a-drop-of-urban-green/

photos:
source of photos: all taken by me

Blog Post 3 Garden Art in European Culture

How did the Italian renaissance garden differ from previous gardens and revolutionize new garden artistry around Europe?

Previous garden form of medieval times was inwardly focused, and self-contained as the structures surrounding the gardens were very defensive. However, the renaissance altered this design. Alberti’s De Re Aedificatoria argued that the villa should be looked at and a place to look from. In other words, the house should be above the garden. This led to a new garden form that were laid out in a geometric divisions joined by a common axis with axial unity around the villas.

Furthermore, the renaissance sparked this concept of a third nature, as gardens become an expression of human art and the divinely created natural world.

One excellent example of an Italian Renaissance Garden is Villa d’este. Villa d’este combines elements of axial alignment, water features and terraces as an excellent show of power.

The Italian Renaissance had a pan-European influence. When the King of France Charles VIII invaded the Kingdom of Naples, he returned to France along with artists, artists, philosophers, and others. This movement of Renaissance inspired thinkers helped start the Northern Renaissance. In France, the gardens were still inward looking and defensive fortresses, however, they began to incorporate Italian renaissance ideas, such as axial symmetry and trellises, and even develop their own ideas. The French developed the potager, which is an ornamental vegetable garden. One example of a French renaissance garden is the Chateau de Blois, which includes trellises, knot gardens, and axial symmetry.

In England, the northern renaissance had a profound impact upon their gardening, especially as Henry VIII introduced power gardening. The English really enhanced their gardens with new features, such as railed beds, grass plats, kings beasts, knot gardens, and mounts. Mounts served an extremely important purpose as they were a mound of earth that one could walk to the top of and properly observe the rest of the garden from above – and eat their dessert. An example of an English renaissance garden is Hampton Court Palace.

Overall, the Italian renaissance led to more expensive, outward looking, and powerful gardens that incorporated new and stunning features.

A link that incorporates these ideas well is: http://www.poderesantapia.com/gardens/italianrenaissancegarden.htm

photos:

Hampton Court Palace

source: http://www.palacehalf.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2506964_e0eb5b3f.jpg

Chateau de Blois

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_of_the_French_Renaissance

Villa d'este

source: http://www.italia.it/en/travel-ideas/unesco-world-heritage-sites/villa-deste-a-triumph-of-the-baroque.html