a case study by Amy Chen
Beatrix Farrand
To observe
The Landscape Gardener
American Gertrude Jekyll. Beatrix Farrand gained her reputation in designing private gardens. Some of the other customers included Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Cabot Lodge, Robert Patterson, Ruth Havey, and Mildred Barnes Bliss. Farrand did not have any opportunity to work on public projects, because of the gender role of the time, until she was invited to be part of the project, The New York Botanical Garden. In many of her gardens, Beatrix Farrand would keep in good relationship with the customers and personally check and take care of the plants and garden. Farrand believed that landscape architecture is a difficult profession for women because of the time and physical energy it consumes. In 1920s, Farrand established the Reef Point, an educational institution. However, due to financial issues, she is not able to maintain the educational center. She retired and moved to Garland Farm before rested in peace in 1959.
The drawing shows a perspective view of the Kitchen Garden by Beatrix Farrand. The line weights suggest Farrand’s observation of a private garden that is open on four sides and six entrances of which the paths meet at two intersections. The arches are elements of Italian garden. The garden is symmetrical, yet one side of the garden has higher elevation than the other. Observation drawings allow Farrand to emphasize the elements that she expect the audience to see from the specific scale. From a scale as shown in the drawing, the layout of the garden is evidently more important than the details of the plants.
Composition diagram 1.5” x 3”
Beatrix Farrand, Beatrix Farrand’s perspective of the kitchen garden at The Mount, Lenox, Massachusetts.
To Observe
To Communicate
The drawing communicates instructions of what plants to put and the placement through tree symbols and terms. The threes are the primary while the overall layout of paths and other features become secondary. A plan view allow the communication to be direct and short. The line weights suggest the center rectangular area as more important than the surroundings and the main information the message attempts to get across. The clusters of plants convey that the placement of individual plants doesn’t matter as long as they fairly fill in the area, as oppose to the four individual ones near the center have more exact location as instructed.
Beatrix Farrand, Herb Garden (predecessor to the Arbor Terrace) Planting Plan, Washington D.C. 1933.
To Communicate
To Present pe Eur o y in ud f-st Sel
Beatrix Farrand, Fence panel near Lilac Circle, all in flat perspective, F-J, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington(D.C), 1937. Graphite, black ink and blue colored pencil on tracing paper.
Charles Sprague Sargent
Line, Composition and Color
To Present
Stipple
Bracelet
Crosshatch
Scribble
Hatch
Dashed line
To measure
The drawing shows a curved bench Farrand designed with details of dimensions. The purpose of the drawing was to indicate measurements for construction of the bench. Different views also serve to enhance the clarity of the measurements. The color gradation on the elevation view visually creates the curve of the bench and further convey the space. For construction purpose, the drawing also notes the types of materials used in different parts of the bench. The hatching represents the surface of section cut, and crosshatching not only as a purpose to show the shadows of a three-dimensional object, but also to show the shape that is difficult to be measured accurately. Beatrix Farrand, Construction drawing for Forsy seat Dumbarton Oaks, Washington (D.C), 1934. Graphite and pink colored pencil on tracing paper.
June 19, 1872 Born in New York City
Mildred Barnes Bliss
Edith Wharton
Alternative Scheme of Garden for Mrs. W. D. Straight (UC Berkeley, Documents Collection)
In flat perspective, Farrand present the visual perception as a person standing at the site. The sketch shows different designs of conceptual elements such as dome, cube, open-close, and symmetry. Each design presents a different perception and atmosphere to the audience. The intent of this drawing is to present the structure rather than the plants, which then are drawn with less lines and details. It helps to visualize the result and spatial relationship between the outdoor area and people. The question marks suggest three designs that are taken into consideration, while the crosses suggest two that are being eliminated from the final design.
Du
mb a The rton Ne Oaks firs w Yor t la k rge Bota pu nica blic l pro Gard jec en t
Beatrix Farrand was an American landscape architect born in New York City on June 19, 1872. She had designed 200 private or residential gardens and was the only female founder of American Society of Landscape Architecture. Some of her well-known works included the Dumbarton Oaks, The New York Botanical Garden, Princeton, the first college campus project in 1913, Yale, Harvard, Oberlin College, and University of Chicago, though only a few are preserved today. Farrand grew up under the care of Edith Wharton, who introduced her to many connections that later helped Farrand to establish her customer line. Edith Wharton was important in helping to establish Farrand’s fame. Farrand had the talent and good vision as a gardener because all five generations of her family loved gardens. Because landscape architecture was not yet a defined career, Beatrix Farrand studied on her own while her family background helped her and provided her opportunities. She travelled to European countries, France, Italy, Germany, England, and Scotland, where there were historic gardens or great landscape works. The European gardens were her study models, while she also derived her design principles from her admired artist Gertrude Jekyll. Farrand was later known as the
1893
Influenced by Charles Sprauge Sargent durng apprenticeship, who suggested Farrand to utilize local plants.
To Measure
1895
Tour to Europe, including Italy, Germany, Holland, Scotland, England, and France.
1899
Farrand became the only woman founder of American Society of Landscape Architecture.
1915
In collaboration with the Horiculture Society of New York, Farrand was involved in The New York Botanical Garden, her first large and public project.
In the drawing Alternative Scheme of Garden for Mrs. W.D. Straight, the line weights are light while the colors take the most drawing. It makes the overall drawing smoother and more harmonic. The fence and its thickness make the garden enclosed and private. The drawing include mostly green tones. The lightest green appear to be the grass, for its thinness and importance in this drawing. The greens change from light to Labeling Line with Arrow dark as from grass to bushes, and to trees. On he two sides of the garden, there are plants of different seasons. The color scheme includes green, yellow, orange, brown, pink and white, representing a variety of seasonal plants. Those are the emphasis of the drawing. The entire drawing is colored because only colors would communicate the seasonal trees that may change over time. Different plants blossom at different times of the year, creating a consistently alternating perceptions or views in the Alternating Crosshatch garden. There is not shading to the drawing because shadings may take away the highlights on the colorful plants. The roofs of the buildings are communicated and easy to identify through the technique of using light and dark tones of one color to suggest that one side is exposed to the sunlight while the other side is not. This specific drawing appear to distinguish from all other drawings done by Beatrix Farrand because, for this project and design, her intent is to demonstrate the visual effect of the colors of the seasonal plants rather than designating the plants with Dimension Line words and descriptions. 1955 1921
Farrand began her most famous work, the Dumbarton Oaks, for Mildred Bliss. Farrand stayed in close relationship with Bliss and took care of the plants and do new plantings periodically.
Farrand lost the Reed Point and moved to Garland Farm
Beatrix Farrand is a woman landscape architect that influenced me not only through her design principles but also her drawings and their contents. In designing a private garden, Farrand often reaches into details in customizing a piece of furniture, designating trees and placement, and the materials being used for construction. While at other times, her intent of drawing would point to a different direction, in which she would show an overall perception of her garden or design to understand and illustrate the experience of as a first person standing in the environment. The drawings express experiences and allow the audience to visualize the mood, often peaceful and relaxing. Each of Farrand’s drawing may vary in line weights, completeness, color tone, views and perspective depending on the purpose and intent of the drawing. From the drawings created by Beatrix Farrand, I learned the importance of identifying the design intent or purpose first before starting, to communicate, to notate, to emote, to present, to diagram, to measure, or to inventory. Some drawings would could be simpler than we expect to be a complete drawing, but as long as the purpose is achieved, the drawing and the creator’s intent are both successful. For instance, when the purpose of the Construction Drawing for Forsy Seat Dumbarton Oak is only for construction, only elements such as section cuts, shadows for curved edges, dimensions, and different views are needed to efficiently achieve the purpose. Rendering and perspective views would not serve to the purpose directly. Another lesson I learned is the importance of line weights. Although, most of Farrand’s drawings are not rendered, her pencil or pen on tracing paper sketches are always clear and easy to read. Line weights highlight the importance, the smoothness, and purpose of function of the object. Tension could be added through the quantity and closeness of lines. In the perspective drawing of the garden, the tension shown in the fences builds up the separating boundary of the garden from the world outside. In Farrand’s design process, she likes to have various ways of perception drawn and imagine the experience. I learned that flat perspective drawing provides the best visual experience. By showing more lines on the main design of the drawing, and less on the surroundings, it focuses the visual experience on only what is being communicated. Paying attention to the purpose of the drawings may narrow down the content and allow the communication to be direct and straight forward to the point.
References: http://tclf.org/pioneer/beatrix-farrand/beatrix-farrand http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma99/hall/Dumbartonoaks/farrand_dum.html http://www.doaks.org/library-archives/garden-archives/biographies/beatrix-farrand http://www.connecticutmag.com/Connecticut-Magazine/May-2014/The-Connecticut-Gardens-of-Beatrix-Farrand/