LARCH Module 4
The designer's concept for Central Park includes which of the following? Select all that apply:
"provide the best practical means of healthful recreation for inhabitants of all classes" "maintenance of a temperate, healthy state of mind depends on being able to get away from the city"
Which of the following design characteristics contributed to making Mount Auburn so popular? Select all that apply.
A hill with a viewing tower A constantly changing variety of scenery and carefully orchestrated visual experiences Beautiful trees, flowers, water fountains and ponds The provision of beautiful sculpture and exotic architecture Carriage roads were named for the existing flora, such as Pine Avenue or Rose Path A multitude of winding paths sufficiently numerous and carefully arranged that a map was required to avoid getting lost
Critics belittled the design of Washington D.C. as the "City of Magnificent Intentions." Why did the city deserve that title in the 1800's? Select all that apply.
Andrew Jackson Downing's design for the National Mall as a naturalistic park The construction of the Washington Canal The addition of a railroad station running across the foot of Capitol Hill
With their design roots firmly in the English Landscape School, American rural cemeteries resembled English country estates. How did Americans see their rural cemeteries? Select all that apply.
As the first intentionally-designed, large outdoor spaces Americans ever encountered As expressions of a democratic society, because everyone could enter them As expressions of a growing civic pride and maturity of the nation As freely accessible, public spaces, designed for scenery and enjoyment
What was Alexis de Tocqueville's assertion in his book Democracy in America, and what unique aspect of American society accounted for it?
Because America lacked the social stratification and class distinctions of other nations, every American could use land for self-interest; collectively, Americans would consume all the natural resources of this nation
Contrast Downing's design for the Mall with Olmsted Jr's design. Which assertions regarding Downing's work are true? Which assertions regarding Olmsted's beliefs are true? Select all that apply.
Because the scale of the general scheme is large, there should be a corresponding simplicity in design Great public edifices must be strongly formal AND that formality must extend to the surroundings for consistent effect Downing's naturalistic park, with its wiggling road and confused informal planting, ignored the Capitol's axis The Mall should be dignified and reflect its role as the nation's forum for democratic expression and national pride
What is the significance of Birkenhead Park?
Birkenhead was the world's first truly public-owned park—it belonged to the people!
What was Daniel Burnham's approach to urban design that came to be known as the City Beautiful Movement?
Burnham's approach to urban design was to work within the system. He took the existing city as a given and he tried to make it more aesthetically pleasing.
Which of the following is NOT accurate with regard to the passage of the New York Park Act in 1851?
Downing, Bryant, and the citizens of New York were delighted with the selected site
Consider the assertion that burial conditions in America were quite different from those encountered in Europe. Is the assertion true or false, and why? Only one answer is completely correct.
False, because the same crowded churchyards, the same rise of disease, and the same growing repugnance to urban burial practices occurred there just as they had in Europe
Olmsted felt that buildings are a necessary part of a park. True or False?
False. Olmsted believed any structure should be entirely subordinate to the main idea of creating rural scenery.
What design style was the inspiration for the L'Enfant plan, and what specific site inspired it? Only one answer is completely correct.
French Baroque, with Versailles as the specific inspiration
Of the attitudes that we have examined, which description below best captures the prevailing popular viewpoint of the American people of the time?
Given our manifest destiny and the superabundance of resources, let's tame and conquer
Which of the following best describes Frederick Law Olmsted's legacy as a landscape designer?
His major concern was the welfare of people, and his designs consistently reflect his passion for social betterment and everyone's right to quality of life
We can see something of Olmsted's design philosophy in how he developed the "voids" at Franklin Park. Which of the following correctly represents an example of his design and the reason for it?
In the Country Park area, the tennis courts are removable, permitting that open space from being permanently committed to a single activity
Why was white chosen as the color for all the temporary buildings at the exposition, resulting in the fair site being referred to as the "White City?
In the interest of time, the designers went with one color, and once that decision was made, all white was chosen as most appropriate for the neo-classical theme; as if the buildings were made of stone.
What was Vaux's reasoning in forming a team with Olmsted to enter the design of Central Park?
Olmsted's knowledge of the grounds and Vaux's architectural experience would make for a perfect team.
The fair was remembered controversially. Which of the following statements does NOT represent one of the reactions people had to the Fair?
People were all praise for the fair - It was wonderful to see all the technological advancements and unprecedented architecture which surpassed what had been seen several years earlier at the Crystal Palace.
What were the argument for parks made by social reformers? Select all that apply.
People who spend time in nature will be emotionally and physically healthier. Public parks had a very positive effect on the well-to-do in terms of their quality of life, so similarly, public parks in the lower income areas of the city would also have positive effects. If you offer more humane living environments, the crime rate is going to drop.
Brown and Repton contributed to the public park movement. Which of the statements is true about their contributions? Select all that apply.
Repton said what he did was a work of art: the art of creating a park. And just as with any work of art, if you destroy one piece, then you have destroyed the whole. . Capability Brown gave us the notion of an idealized landscape where the human hand is not evident; and nature's systems are respected in this aesthetic.
Which of the following is NOT accurate with regard to Andrew Jackson Downing's book Treaty on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening?
The book was excellent and in fact groundbreaking, but the timing was premature--public interest just wasn't there yet
What is the significance of Richmond Park?
The episode at Richmond Park predicted the eventual public demand for public parks, access to free, unrestricted green spaces as a public right.
What was the main point of Olmsted's report on Yosemite and Mariposa Big Trees? Why is it significant? Only one answer is completely correct.
The federal government is responsible to provide its citizens with access to places that are national treasures; Olmsted formulated the philosophic foundation for the establishment of national parks based on his belief in citizen's rights
What issue made the formative years of U.S. politics particularly hostile? How was the dispute solved? Only one answer is completely correct.
The issue was where to locate the national capital and the resolution was a compromise embodied in the Residence Act of 1790
Which of the following elements were part of the three-part plan for the World's Fair? Select all that apply.
The midway/amusement area A very formal, axial Court of Honor, perpendicular to the lake An informal, naturalistic lagoon and wooded isle
What were some of the pre-existing elements of Prospect Park that helped to make it very different from Central Park? Select all that apply.
The political and economic support was tremendous from the start in Brooklyn The curving shape of the parcel permitted greater artistic freedom, seen primarily in the sweeping curve of the Long Meadow Existing soil conditions were much better, making it much easier to incorporate Olmsted's voids and solids A smaller, more compact size compared to Central park, which also eliminated the need for cross-roads
Who were the people and what were the factors that characterized the exploration-minded attitude towards nature in America? Select all that apply.
Thomas Jefferson's recognition of the invaluable resource of the American wilderness The sudden acquisition of a vast amount of land by the United States (ceded by the British and sold by the French) that was entirely unknown Lewis and Clark's quest to identify a passage to the Pacific while documenting scientific and cultural discoveries throughout the journey People like William Bartram, who conveyed his firsthand experiences with nature as a powerful combination of objective scientific observation and passionate personal feeling
What was Olmsted's "vision" for deforested areas within the Biltmore Estate? Select all that apply.
Those interested in forestry had to travel to Germany for formal training, but such a program in the U.S. was seen as very beneficial A forest of indigenous trees would become a place for experimentation and scientific observation Establish a dairy farm on the estate grounds to provide fertilizer to replenish the soil Plant these areas with indigenous trees, thereby establishing the first forestry program in the United States
What were Olmsted's goals driving the design of the "Emerald Necklace" in Boston? Select all that apply.
To create a series of linked green spaces encircling the city for easy access for every resident seeking a respite from urban life To transform wasteland areas into public amenities To create landscape familiar to New Englanders, many of whom moved to Boston from the country
Consider this assertion: Daniel Boone embodied the popular American attitude towards nature, that of taming the wilderness. Is that a true statement, and why or why not? Only one answer is completely correct.
True, because Boone felt that it was every American's right, through hard work and industry, to carve out a homestead and a farm, thereby converting wilderness into productive land
What were the design characteristics and innovations at the Crystal Palace? Select all that apply.
Twenty-one acres of building, made of glass, iron, wood Prefabricated structure—reflecting the new technology of the times Was inspired by the leaf structure of a giant lily Building was covered in 900,000 square feet of glass Accommodation of the existing trees
Which of the following statements regarding urban churchyard burial practices in Europe are accurate and help to explain the rise of rural cemeteries? Select all that apply.
Urban cemeteries became unsanitary, contaminating the ground, polluting groundwater, and fouling the air In urban churchyards space was limited; once capacity was reached, skeletons were exhumed and removed to charnel houses Social stratification in life continued in death; bishops and priests, noblemen, and the rich received the best plots, while the poor were often buried in a single, massive common grave Longstanding tradition held that no cemetery could exist apart from the church
Which of the following is true about Victoria Park? Select all that apply.
Victoria Park was not a public park, but owned by the royalty. Victoria Park is significant because it's the first time a park was built for the public.
Can a design style that originated to celebrate an absolute monarchy become emblematic of a democracy? If so, why?
Yes, because the power being symbolized is a new power, the power of the people, which has proven better and stronger than the power of a king
What was Frederick Law Olmsted's reaction to Birkenhead Park? He was:
impressed by the people's attitude that it was 'our park'
Which of the following is true about the cultural and political context leading up to the Columbian Exposition? Select all that apply:
it was an age of great inventiveness and international expositions were popular the U.S. sought ways to cast itself as a competitive world power the U.S. had entered the "Gilded Age"—a phase of rapid economic growth
Which of the following is accurate about Victoria Park? Select all that apply:
it was the first time politician's responded to public demand for parks was built in an area of town then known for overcrowding and poverty
The three goals Olmsted had for the Emerald Necklace concept are:
linked green spaces, familiar landscapes, and transform wasteland into public amenity
What was the result of the dispute over the location of the US capital? Select all that apply:
the Residence Act, gave the President authority to select a site along the Potomac river a compromise favoring the south was made through political vote trading
The following are correct statements about the Midway at the Columbian Expo. EXCEPT:
the area was known to be dangerous, esp. given the many accidents from rides
The storming of Richmond Park demonstrated:
the public demand for public parks with access to free, unrestricted green space as a public right
There were many innovative elements to Paxton's Crystal Palace. Which of the following was NOT one of them?
use of structural domes and vaults