Landscape Precedents and Information for Freedom Park, Salvokop

 

Timeline of the Earth from 425Ma

Middle Silurian -425 Ma

After the first mass global extinction, an ice age was just ending. Vascular plants, mostly herbaceous Zosterophylls and Rhyniophytes have colonized coastal areas along the equator.

 

Early Carboniferous-356 Ma

The Rheic ocean separates Euramerica from Gondwanaland. After the second mass extinction, plant life is flourishing along the equator. Coal deposits are being formed from the lycopod and horsetail forests.

 

Late Carboniferous- 306Ma

Gondwana and Euramerica collide to form one continent known as Pangaea. The southern areas are coverd in ice, while the northern areas have coal swamps. Provincial flora developes as well as the Glossopteris flora.

 

Early Triasic-237Ma

The third and largest extinction event has occurred, and few floras have survived. Lystrosaus, a mammal like reptile, is the only known large vertebrate herbivore to live in Gondwanaland. Gymnosperms flourish and beetles make up half of the insect diversity. Biodiversity on earth is high.

 

Late Jurassic-152Ma

Pangaea is starting to break up, and sheets of lava flow over the earth. Conifers dominate the flora, and dinosaurs roam the earth. Pollinating insects such as flies, wasps and butterflies are present.

 

Late Creataceous-69Ma

Continental drift is taking place. Angiosperms dominate the diversity and the 5th major global extinction is due to happen. An asteroid hitting the earth will clear it of dinosaurs and make space for mammals, and eventually Homo sapiens.

 

 

 

 

South African Geography and Flora

South Africa is at the southern most tip of Africa, and has a coastline of 2500km in length. The country is classified as semi-arid. The Karoo plateau has rocky hills and mountains in between sparse scrubland. The summers are hot and winters can be very cold.

 

The east coast of South Africa is moist and more tropical. The south coast is less moist but still lush and evergreen.

 

A Mediterranean climate dominates in the South West of the country, where windy days and winter rainfall can be expected.

 

The highveld areas north of the Vaal river are of a high altitude and receive more rain. Summers are very hot, and winters cold. The lowveld and bushveld areas of South Africa have hot, humid weather all year round.  The eastern escarpment and Drakensburg areas have very cold areas and snow is not uncommon in winter.

 

The cold Benguela current from the Antarctic moves  along the Atlantic coast, with the warmer Mozambique/ Agulas current on the east coast creating warmer sea water there. There are no rivers with useful natural large harbours and rivers in South Africa are not navigatable. There are two major rivers: the Orange and Limpopo. The largest dam is the Gariep dam on the Orange river.

 

The land area of South Africa is more or less 1200 000km squared. Mountains in the Mpumalanga province have yielded minute fossils thought to be among the first signs of life on earth, dated as 3300 million years old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Africa can be divided into seven vegetation biomes. They are the Nama Karoo, Succulent Karoo, Fynbos, Thicket, Savannah and Grasslands.

 

The fynbos can be found in the south west of the country and consists of species such as Erica’s, Proteas and Restios. The mountains in these areas have plants such as Disas, Irises, Pelargoniums and Arum Lilies. 

 

Namaqualand is in full bloom in spring, but dry and arid throughout the rest of the year. The flowers are visible for a few weeks only, when a mass of colour is created by the flowers. Daisy’s and mesembryanthemums create the intense colours, while half-mens plants and quiver trees have the unusual shapes characteristic of plants of this area.

 

South Africa has more than 1000 indigenous tree species, but few are large trees. In Knysna in the Tsitsikamma forest, large stinkwood, ironwoods, and yellowwoods can be found. Cycads and fever trees as well as the famous Baobabs are found in the lowveld and northern provinces of South Africa. The legend of the baobab is that is was accidentally planted upside down, giving it its characteristic shape.

 

The forests of Kwazulu Natal in the East have subtropical and evergreen plants including clivias. The Eastern Cape has many aloes, and the savannah has dry grasslands with scattered thorn trees and shrubs.

 

 

 

 

South African Museums, Monuments and their Landscapes

 

Apartheid Museum

The museum shows the political history of South Africa from Pre colonial times to the start of the Democratic South Africa in 1994.  The museum consists of a photographic and multi media exhibition within a building and a landscape, in Johannesburg.

 

The feeling of segregation is created in the museum and landscape, with stark, harsh areas and sharp sunlight. Softer areas can be found further away from the museum building. The site has a prison like feel with no welcoming, soft elements. There is little shade, and where there is, it has been used as a contrast to the harsh light. The internal and external areas are well integrated to create the themes of detention, oppression and division.

 

The materials used in the landscape include concrete and stone. Concrete has been used as pre cast panels as well as cast in-situ concrete slabs as paving material. A smooth grey texture and colour has been used. Stone has been used in the wire baskets to create a high wall, as well as in the water feature.

Wire baskets have been filled with stone to create the high exterior wall, but some of the baskets have been left open. Timber poles have been used as a fence. Steel I-beams create the frame work for the wire baskets, and have a rusted texture. Black gravel is used together with pre cast concrete light coloured panels, to create the feeling of segregation. Pre cast concrete drains have been used in their most raw form to create benches at the entrance. Wooden benches reminiscent of the old “White’s only” benches have been recreated and placed on the site. Brick walls, steel fences and the mirror-like images have also been used to create a surreal experience.

 

There is limited planting close to the building, with only a few dramatic trees visible. Roof gardens of natural grasslands have been recreated. Further away from the building, a more formal soft landscape has been created with patterns of manicured and veld grass, and a pond. 

The symbolism of plants and materials used are related to the context of the site. Indigenous grasses used are the same as those found on the nearby mine dumps, and the wire and rock baskets show the mining heritage of Johannesburg. These help to contextualise the site. The linear building follows a route like a story. The museum building forms part of the exhibit, and is not just a hollow shell. The museum is seen as a sculptured landscape rather than a building. The roof garden and grass areas hide the building so that it seems a ruin and seems to emerge from the landscape.  The concrete used reminds us of the old administrative buildings, old “ Bantu” buildings, prisons and the townships, while the pre cast concrete slabs in the gravel refer to grave coverings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hector Peterson Memorial, Soweto

This memorial is in memory of Hector Peterson, the first child killed in the Soweto uprising on 16 June 1976. He was a thirteen year old boy, who was part of a protest against Afrikaans being used as the main language in schools, and was shot dead by police as they tried to bring the protestors under control. On the site where the police attacked the students, an open air memorial with a typical grave stone type monument can be found. Containers serve as a museum to house a photo collection of the events of 16 June. The monument is to all those 566 people who died in the attacks. On a traffic circle in Soweto, a billboard serves a memorial to the children killed in township violence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bloodriver Monument, Kwazulu Natal

The monument commemorates the battle between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus on 16 December 1838. The monument is in a grassland in the river plain, and consists mainly of a fort of bronze cast wagons. A brick paved area surrounds a sandstone sculpture of a wagon. This memorial serves only to commemorate the victory of the white Voortrekkers, and does not mention the Zulus who died in the attack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Democracy Wall, Pretoria

This wall is not to keep people out, but to depict the construction of the new democratic South Africa. The wall, designed by artist Neels Coetzee, was inspired by structures found at sites such as Great Zimbabwe, Thulamela and Machema. Links with history are established by using materials from Robben Island and quarries around Pretoria. Glass, cement and dollos moulds acquired from sponsors are also used in the construction.

 

The wall was built in 1996 for the Kutlawong Democracy center in Pretoria. It is a merging of art and architecture within the city environment, and refers back to pastoral, suburban and metropolitan building styles, dating as far back as the 12th century. It is an acknowledgement that African building styles are architecture and not merely primitive dwellings as once believed.

 

There are granite boulders and semi-circular cement structures that refer to rural corrugated iron water tanks, referring to the preciousness of water in South Africa. The porcelain insulators used in the electricity sector that have been used in the wall, show the privileged some have in having electricity.  The cement dollosse refer to human creativity as they were designed in South Africa for use in marine areas. An organic wooden fence is used as a contrast to the harsh steel palisade fences in the area. Limestone from Robben Island has been used in the wall and indigenous plants complete the site.

 

The wall serves as a reminder of where South Africa is coming from and where it is heading.

 

 

Use of Indigenous Plants in Landscapes

 

Pretoria National Botanical Gardens

The National Botanical Institute was established in the 1950’s as a research facility. It hosts many plants from South Africa, and is now being developed into themed gardens and areas.

 

The area to show traditional plant use consists of a Ndebele hut and a surrounding garden with water channels and small ponds. The hut represents the soul of the woman of the house. The walls have been painted in the traditional style. Plants that have traditionally been used for healing are on display here.

 

An artificial waterfall with tropical and shade plants forms the center of the garden. It is a cool shady place that towers above the viewers. Water plants are also displayed here.

 

The aquatic garden has a series of connected pond and shows indigenous wetland and water plants. Many ducks and other water birds nest here. The cycad garden shows some of the oldest plants. Large trees in the shade garden create space for smaller shade loving plants to be displayed. The succulent garden shows many colourful plants from dry areas in between rocky outcrops.

 

The African savannah area consists of natural grass areas with mown strips for movement. The hill has been left in its natural state to show the rocky outcrops and plants associated with the Bankenveld area, that Pretoria is situated in. A network of narrow steep brick walkways and seating and viewing points make this area a favourite with visitors.

 

The highveld grassland zone shows a variety of small plants not often seen in the environment, due to overgrazing of the grassland areas. There are no paths in this area and visitors are free to walk around to discover the smaller plants in between the grass. The grass is cut and burned often to simulate natural conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gardens of the Lost City, Sun City

The lost city, a golf and holiday resort within a casino resort, was themed as a mythical city. The story goes that centuries ago a tribe had live there in the green valley and built a huge city, when an earthquake had destroyed the city and forced the inhabitants to flee. The city became a legend until an explorer found it and restored it to its original splendour. There are many other smaller myths and legends associated with areas in the park.

 

A tropical rainforest has been created on a dry bushveld landscape, by a team led by Patrick Watson. 22 Sections of forest have been planted, and 80% of the plants that have been used is indigenous to South Africa. There are more than  1000 000 plants and 3200 species, with 600 trees, and 300 palm species. Many of the plants used have never been commercially grown, and some had to be transported from other areas, such as the giant baobabs that have been used. Nurseries had to be created on site in order to propagate the plants needed.

 

Indigenous plants have been used to give colour and texture to the gardens, while few garden plants have been used, as the designers have opted for a more exotic, unusual feel. Palms were used as they are not associated with any continent in particular, but merely with tropical areas. The large scale effect has been created by the fact that there are no visible boundaries, and the gardens blend in with the surrounding landscapes. 

 

The gardens have been proclaimed a botanical garden, and routes have been laid out through the area in order to view the different themed areas. Water gardens, wetlands, desert areas, bushveld zones as well as tropical jungle forests have been created on a monumental scale. It is hard to believe that there used to be very little besides dry grass and small shrubs here before, and that the whole garden is man made. The indigenous plants have been used very successfully to create a monumental feel in this large landscape. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International use of Indigenous plants in landscapes

 

Oehme, Van Sweden and Associates

The firm was founded by Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden. The firm is well known for their use of plants indigenous to the areas of the projects that they work on.

 

Gardens they have done include the Cotsworld Cottage garden, in which a series of outdoor living spaces have been created to suit the old cottage on the site. Plants indigenous to the area have been used in the garden to create a meadow like garden. The views from the interior of the site have been connected with exterior views, in order to increase the perceived size of the site.

 

In another garden, a formal pool and courtyard have been created, but still indigenous plants have been used in this formal setting. Sculptures are on display in this garden.

 

 

Their low country garden has plants from the nearby woodlands, and a series of decks that seem to be floating on the landscape. These are surrounded by wildflowers and grasses. The native plants work well to compliment the design of the house.

 

 

 

In their cottage garden, they have not only made use of indigenous plants, but local stone and materials too, to create a rustic cottage setting.

 

 

Native trees were already present in the Diamond garden, and the plants used are representative of those found in the understorey of the woodlands nearby. Large areas of the same plants have been used.

In their American meadow garden, meadow plants have been used close to the house to create a more formal and neat look, while further away from the house, more indigenous plants have been used.

 

 

The marsh estate garden is situated in a rural marshland within a low lying pine forests. Recreational area have been created within this park. The plant palette was selected based on the plants’ tolerance to the marsh conditions as well as specimens found in the close vicinity. Native specimens of grass, shrubs and trees have been used.

 

In the Chicago Botanical gardens, an informal American style garden has been designed. Bridges and walkways have been incorporated with woodlands, hillsides and meadows that rely on the changing effects of these plants throughout the year, to create the spectacular effects seen in the garden. Native species and grasses have been used in this garden.

 

At the Red Butte garden, a non traditional rose garden has been created. Native plants and grasses have been used together with more manicured lawns, to create colour splendour all year long. 

 

At the forests park riverine landscape, wet savannahs, meadows, wooded slopes, aquatic vegetation and ornamental plants have been reintroduced to the area.

 

 

Ornamental grasses help to create the soft landscape of this rural area within a formal city-scape, as this garden is at the Federal Reserve. Again, natural grasses have been used together with manicured lawns.     

 

 

 

World War II Memorial, Washington DC

This monument is dedicated to all those who served America in World War II and to honour the 400 000 who died as well as all the supporters. This will serve as a symbol of national unity.

 

The site selected is between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The project is mainly funded by private donors. A space has been created to celebrate the victory and commemorate the sacrifices, yet the space is respectful of its historical setting. It creates a sense of place that is distinct, memorable, evocative and serene, and still preserves the views of the nearby memorials.

 

A memorial plaza and the existing rainbow pool, form the centre of the design. A ceremonial entrance with two flag poles and flags on either side has been created. Granite and bronze bases have been designed for the flagpoles, and ramps and steps with bronze bas relief panels depicting war scenes, lead up to the space. Granite benches have been provided. Two arches serve as the North and South entrances. 4 Bronze columns with eagles on top holding victory laurels, surround these arches. Victory medals have been laid into the floor in these areas.

 

56 Granite pillars celebrate unity. The commemorative area with 4000 gold stars on a freedom wall commemorates the 400 000 who died in the war. The Rainbow pool will be restored and will serve as a symbol of celebration. There is seating around the pool. Two thirds of the site will be planted to create a park like setting. Oehme, Van Sweden and associates will be in charge of the design of the planted areas. This memorial will be a very classical formal commemorative space.

 

 

List of sources consulted

http://www.abstractblack.com/yemimuseum.html

http://www.abstractblack.com/yemimuseum.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/200112060145.html

http://www.apartheidmuseum.org

http://aspa.asn.au

http://artthrob.co.za/02mar/reviews/apartheid.htm

http://artthrob.co.za/02mar

http://www.casinoguru.com/profiles/1199/lostcity.html

http://www.chicagobotanic.org/pr/press_releases2/basin_design.html

http://www.chicago-botanic.org/whatsnew/WhatsNewGarden.html

http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/mg/travel/99jan/18jan-democracy.html

http://www.damer.com/pictures/travels/southafrica/soweto.html

http://www.fak.org.za/Bloedriviermonument.htm

http://www.hps.com/~tpg/southafrica/joburg/index.html

http://www.idasa.org.za/m_main.php?view=23&facility_id=204

http://www.jhblive.co.za/writers/features/apartheidmuseum/default.htm

http://www.joburg.org.za/november/apartheid.stm

http://www.nbi.ac.za

www.ovsla.com

http://www.popmatters.com/columns/sassen/020501.shtml

http://wind.prohosting.com/outabout/bloodriver.html

http://www.safrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/fauna_flora/flora.htm

http://www.safrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/geography/biodiversity.htm

http://www.safrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/geography/geography.htm

http://www.safrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/history/apartmuseum.htm

http://www.safrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/history/hector.htm

http://www.suntimes.co.za/1999/03/28/lifestyle/life01.htm

http://www.tcaup.umich.edu/alumnifriends/reunion/distalumnus.html

http://www.wwiimemorial.com