Treescape Summer School Report - KU Leuven 2021 by Ahmad Ramezanzadeh

Treescape Summer School Report: The Lochristi Treescape Project By Ahmad Ramezanzadeh Under the supervision of Bjoke Carron August 2021

Treescape Summerschool: Introduction The aim is simple. Finding remnants of forest, connecting them, and ultimately creating new forest cores. But why is it so dif cult to move forward and make progress? During the past century, we were so busy exploiting nature. We have lived in a culture that puts the man in the center and describes natural reserves and land as wealth for him to sell and buy. It was this mindset that made most of western Europe wealthy nations. But at what cost? Even today, in almost every discussion, we hardly express any respect towards the natural world. Here in Belgium, we hear everybody talk about the services and bene ts of trees to our health as if they are responsible for our healthy life. The fact is looking at nature solely through the lens of science will not help us anymore. Science is a powerful tool for us to analyze and make logical decisions. But an architect must pursue a critical approach that includes ethical questions regarding the essence and meaning of the natural world. In my home country Iran, there is an inherent value and respect towards nature and trees. In the hot and dry climate of the central plateau of Iran, we call a city an 'ābadi' that means a place where trees and water exists, and without these natural elements, one would struggle to live. In the most living complex of traditional Persian architecture, the center is a garden, a unique and practical spatial quality in the dry and hot climate of the central plateau of Iran. The Garden is the dearest space in a culture that encourages people to improve the earth by making gardens (Fig32,25). One can not step into this honored space without hierarchy; A hierarchy with series of in-between spaces that block direct entry. Respect and humility towards nature and natural elements such as plants and trees are also present at the core of almost every ethical and Philosophical literature from Iran; As they consider living creatures with the same right to live as we have. We must respect the natural world. We must change our mindset about a tree as a building block of nature. The next step is to see them as living organisms that will grow and reshape in time. Therefore our architectural and urban plans must have enough exibility to accommodate and adapt to these ever-changing creatures. The target site for our study is a town located near Gent named 'Lochristi'; Lochristi is fragmented by a road as if cut in half in the middle. The main components besides houses are giant greenhouse complexes and big shops and warehouses surrounded by agricultural elds. Today, After a century of rapid economic growth, Lochristi and its surrounding landscape have become fragmented, both visually and socially. Most of the houses place walls and separators around them. The agricultural elds are inaccessible, and giant greenhouses put big blocks in our visuals. It is hard to nd any reoccurring pattern or hidden social bonds unifying this town. The only remaining gem is a network of tall tree corridors reaching the historic Lochristi Kasteel. Here we see the result of a network plan of roads with four rows of trees growing for almost a century, creating a natural canopy and shelter for kilometers of roads reaching the castle. Walking inside these natural pergolas, one experiences a mindblowing one-point perspective that feels like a reach to in nity. Here we see how a long-term plan could create such an incredible spatial quality. Putting the dynamics of natural succession at the heart of our proposal means that our plan will not end at a speci c time, but continues to live and grow.

Table of Content

1. The Art of Creating Beautiful Treescapes 1.1 What Makes a landscape Great? ……………………………………………………………

2. The Comparative Analysis of Historical Maps of Flemish Landscape With Today ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15 3. A Note On The Art Of Creating Engaging Landscapes ……………………………. 28

4. The Lochristi Town: A Landscape of Fragmentation and Separation………….. 39

5. In Situ Sketches………………………………………………………………………………

1. The Art of Creating Beautiful Treescapes

What Makes a landscape Great? This chapter aims to nd out what makes a landscape great. We often nd out that a landscape becomes a landmark or called beautiful when combined with a symbolic and metaphysical meaning in one's mind. We love a garden because we have spent our time in it with our beloved friends and family, and sometimes we love a landscape because it creates a beautiful and meaningful image. Planting as many trees as possible does not always guarantee beauty as seen in natural forests or gardens. The art of making beautiful treescapes is what is missing in most landscape plans of today. While we lack beautiful landscapes, we have a rich history of making gardens and management systems regarding garden maintenance. The art of making beautiful treescapes is about creating symbolic and meaningful landscapes. In the case of Shazdeh Garden ( Fig 1-6 ), the concept is to place an oasis in the vast dead desert of Lut in the central plateau of Iran ( Fig3 ). This paradise in the middle of a hot desert resembles life on earth amidst the cold and lifeless cosmos. Here the aim is not to show power or wealth; We see a landscape on a moderate scale that is masterfully crafted and maintained over a century unto this day. It is a calm place to rest. Unlike the Shazdeh garden, The Versailles and its gigantic tree axes and free-form bushes is an attempt to show the majesty of the French empire ( Fig 8-10 ). Here one is impressed by the sheer scale and the glory and the power of the French empire. The ability to create large-scale geometry is a key to induce a sense of greatness in one's mind ( Fig7 ).

Fig 1,Shazdeh Garden , 18 century Mahan, Iran. The garden keeps its beauty thanks to meticulous attention to the tree choices and their placements in plan. A portion of Cypress trees lls the space in winter so it never feels empty during a whole year.

Fig 2, Shazdeh Garden , 18 century Mahan, Iran. The entire site is placed in a slightly sloped land starting from the gateway as seen in the bottom. ending on top where the mansion is located.

Fig 3, Shazdeh Garden , 18 century Mahan, Iran.

Fig 4, Shazdeh Garden , 18 century Mahan, Iran. The entire site is placed in a slightly sloped land starting from the gateway as seen in the bottom. ending on top where the mansion is located.

Fig 5, Shazdeh Garden , 18 century Mahan, Iran. The sparkles of light passing through the leaves of plane trees and the sounds of falling water in combination with a frame that captures the mansion and the mountains, is what makes this garden great and is what makes it feels like a paradise in the middle of desert.

Fig 6, Shazdeh Garden , 18 century Mahan, Iran.

Fig 7, The palace, park, and gardens of Versailles The palace, park, and gardens of Versailles around 1700, mapped by Nicolas de Fer and engraved by Charles Inselin. North is to the right.

Fig 8, Versailles in 1668, painted by Pierre Patel

Fig9, View of the gardens of Versailles, looking northwest from the palace

Fig 10, Aerial view from the garden at Versailles

2. The Comparative Analysis of Historical Maps of Flemish Landscape With Today

Fig 11,View of The Medieval Era, Landscape Gent and Surrounding

Fig 13, Landscape of Fertbeur, 1777-2021

Fig 14,Landscape Of Lochristi , 1777-2021

Fig 15 , Landscape of Cherscamp And The Town Of Bruynbeke, 1777-2021

Fig 16 , Landscape of Cherscamp And The Town Of Bruynbeke, 1777-2021

Fig 17, Star Shape Forest at Terlinde, 1777

Fig 18, Star Shape Forest, 1777

Fig 19, Historical Castle Complex at Lochristi 1777- 2021

Fig 20 ,Historical Castle at Heudsen , 1777-2021

Fig 21 ,Shazdeh Garden , 18 century Mahan, Iran. The entire site is placed in a slightly sloped land starting from the gateway as seen in the bottom. ending on top where the mansion is located.

Fig 22 , View From One Street At L arene

New Plan For The Streets of Lochristi With More Diverse Trees And Vegetation

Fig 23 , Networks of Corridors reaching to a Castle complex In De Pinte

3. A Note On The Art Of Creating Engaging Landscapes

When you walk in the footsteps of the Alps or the lush jungles of the tropic, One sees a natural landscape with elements that can direct your attention, Direct your view, block it or enhance a visual effect. Entering such a landscape, one actively engages with it. Sometimes you get lost, redirect, explore new islands, discover novel scenery, and ultimately nd your way back or exit. During this voyage, one must grasp a general view and map of the landscape with its main features, routes, and directions, so he never becomes lost as total ambiguity leads to confusion and frustration.

Fig 24 ,Historical Map Of Lochristi Castle Complex , 1842-1879

Road Network to Kasteel Lochristi Ensemble ( Recent view )

New Recreational Plan ( Immediate E ect ) The rst phase of the new recreational plan is to connect the existing patches of forests, Restore the historical Corridors, And Create an internal network narrow routes and islands of trees in the middle of the glade. The aim is to Break from a liner commuted network, making a more engaging promenade in the landscape of Lochristi Kasteel.

Added Patches

New Recreational Plan ( In 10 Years) The rst phase of the new recreational plan is to connect the existing patches of forests, Restore the historical Corridors, And Create an internal network narrow routes and islands of trees in the middle of the glade. The aim is to Break from a liner commuted network, making a more engaging promenade in the landscape of Lochristi Kasteel.

Added Patches

New Recreational Plan ( In 30 Years ) The rst phase of the new recreational plan is to connect the existing patches of forests, Restore the historical Corridors, And Create an internal network narrow routes and islands of trees in the middle of the glade. The aim is to Break from a liner commuted network, making a more engaging promenade in the landscape of Lochristi Kasteel.

Added Patches

Restoring The Tree Lines As Realised In The Historical Maps

Perspective Of The The Main Corridor Reaching The Lochristi Kasteel The castle and networks of leading routes is still a place for people use for running and walking.

New Recreational Plan ( Perspective View) In This Fast Sketch We can see the main elements of the study landscape and the location of the areas that needs restoration ( Marked by hatch )

Restoring Area

Diorama Based on Seven Images Depicting The Main Elements Of The Study Landscape

4. The Lochristi Town: A Landscape of Fragmentation and Separation

The Location of the Target Site. The Lochristi Town

Landscape of Fragmentation and Separation, Taken From Apple Map, Town of Lochristi The problem of this typical landscape of Lochristi is not lack of trees or vegetation, the problem is lack of communication and connectivity. Hedges and fences has created not only a fragmented landscape but also a fragmented community. If we accept that beneath the surface of the fertile soil of Flanders exist a potential forest, then the only problem we face in the town of Lochristi is the problem of connectivity and community.

Tony Garnier 1869-1948. A Housing Scheme Taken From The ‘’ Cité Industrielle ‘’ In his important studies on the Manufacturing Town, Tony Garnier has taken for granted certain possibilities of social development, not yet brought to pass ( 1931), which would permit of methods of normal expansion of towns. The public would have complete control of all building sites. A house for each family: only one half of the area would be occupied by buildings, the other half being for public use and planted with trees : hedges and fences would not be allowed. In this way the town could be traversed in every direction, quite independently of the streets, which there would be no need for a pedestrian to use. The town would really be like a great park. ( Quote from ‘Towards A New Architecture’ by Le Corbusier published on 1931 )

The Problem of Hedges and Fences in The Residential Allotments of Lochristi, Sketch By Solène Riga

Using the Existing Empty Plots As Starting Point, Sketch By Solène Riga

Towards More Densi ed Residential buildings And More Open and Shared Spaces, Sketch By Solène Riga

Map of The Main Forest Patches with The Approximate Area, Town of Lochristi, Mapped By Johannes De Cleyn

Towards A More Uni ed and Connected Landscape, Town of Lochristi, Map Created by Solène Riga and Johannes De Cleyn

5. In Situ Sketches

In Situ Fast Sketch

In Situ Fast Sketch Here a Beautiful Scenery exists as result of a composition created by mature trees with their hanging branches and leaves over a residential house in Gent.

In Situ Fast Sketch For better understanding of the elements of a beautiful scene we must pay attention to the composition of the clusters of leaves or vegetations. In this sketch I tried to show the main elements of this space: Trunks and Clusters of leaves realised under the vibrant sunlight.

Treescape Summerschool: Conclusions

When we look at the current situation of the Lochristi, We see only separation and fragmentation as if there is nothing left to unify a community that settled in this area for centuries. The problem is not the lack of trees; but rather the lack of communication and common sense. In the current situation, the boldest remnant from the past is the historical site of Lochristi Kasteel and its beautiful network of corridors sided by mature tall trees after a century. The proposal is to save these corridors, Restore the missing fragments, add new spatial qualities and values, more diverse vegetation plan for the site. The aspiration is to aspire to an active center for the whole town. And nally, open the gates of the castle and give it new functions regarding social bene ts and activities. For the residential allotments, there is already a signi cant number of trees and vegetation inside each plot. Here the only solution is to create connections as much as possible. For a better understanding of the reasons behind the phenomenon of separation, a survey is crucial. So before proposing any plan, We should ask ourselves: Why do these people prefer to guard their properties with hedges and fences?