Landscape Precedents and Information for Freedom
Park, Salvokop
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.
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
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http://www.chicago-botanic.org/whatsnew/WhatsNewGarden.html
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