Motion In Landscape
A Study of Path Design Based on Sequential Analysis
Motion In Landscape
A Study of Path Design Based on Sequential Analysis
The Oslo School Of Architecture and Design Pre Diploma - Fall 2019 Sepehr Kari Jafari
‘’we need to move in landscape. The immediate landscape outside is to be seen by experience.’’ Lucius Burckhardt
Abstract The environment in which we live in has the ability to shape our lifestyle and personality and paths as a means of access play an important role in creating this environment. This research study explores how paths and forward movement has been represented through sequences. How movement in the landscape affects our mood and sense of space? And how film can be used as a tool in path design analysis?
Video as a tool for landscape analysis In recent years, the Institute for Landscape Architecture at ETH has produced a series of student videos that investigate contemporary urban and rural landscapes. The landscapes here are mostly manmade, either as cultural landscape, infrastructural landscape, or city spaces. Common to these videos is that they explore the principle of movement in landscape, acknowledging the growing rate at which we are becoming aware of our fluvial perception of landscapes. More importantly, however, they explore the dynamics of movement and ground presence in everyday landscapes, ones that are easily dismissed as unrecognisable, boring, fragmented and insignificant.
Landscape, vision, motion - Christophe Girot 1
‘’ the use of video and a new form of landscape representation, animation through sequential photography could yield a better sense of social and political relevance.’’ Charles Waldheim
Collage-Roundabout I - Tao Barlocher, Jonas Kreig (2008)
Short Cut - Janie Koch, Philip Hagnauer (2006)
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Cinematography and Motion! Like landscape design, film creates landscapes. There are a lot of films revealing landscape features by walking through landscape and displaying different moods of it. Here tow sequences of the movie, Sátántangó (Béla Tarr, 1994), has been studied with a focus on forward movement and the mood of space. This film offers a lot of sequences providing us with juxtaposition of sequential spaces which are precisely designed by natural and manmade objects through the scenes.
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Spatial Sequences
Camera
First Sequence Alongside the march of the coast, the camera moves to the left (forward movement) a short voyage through the village. As the camera moves the hazards show up. The juxtaposition of significance object in the square: rotten walls, destroyed roofs, and old houses in the depth of field. The paths interconnections are understood through the eye of the camera. The cows slowly move in the square. Series of sudden contrasts appear: halfopen doors, light poles, sacks of haze, here and there. We experience in the space kind of like spy trying to be unseen. Step by step the ambience interprets the sudden surprise and the hazards get to be understood. Eventually the final image is taken and the series of special sequences give us a clear image of the geometry of the space.
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Second Sequence As the man walks through the meadow, the cone of vision gets narrow. The sequence tells us first about where the old church stands (destination). A white view of the meadow and the small heavenly garden which holds the church in the heart. The man approaches the church. On the edge of the hill, appears a narrow path going towards the top. The sense of discovery and the drama arises. Then the man enters the path, surrounded by the dead trees. The church suddenly catches the eyes with its glamour. It dominates the vision. The fluctuation in the level of walking and the contrast between the flat way of the meadow and the up-going path on the hill brings some sort of adventurous feelings. The intricacy obliges us to get into the church. By the entrance, the drama changes alongside the mood of the space.
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From a widely open meadow to the mysterious enclosed hall of an isolated church, the objects show up in front. The church windows deliver some beautiful deep scenes.
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Means of path design analysis Being aware of how people behave instinctively when walking is one of the keys to designing not only paths but also landscape architecture. It is only then that designers can positively incorporate people movement patterns in the landscape. The analysis tools introduced here are formulated approaches into path design from tow books. The Concise Townscape and Opening Space.
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All the analysis here are based on a camera (sequence) that is moving forward and everything else is static except people and animals.
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Straight path
People want to move forward and feeling relaxed. On a flat terrain, an almost straight line is taken between starting point and destination. Sometimes there are obstacles on the way they walk. Therefore they should go around that obstacle and get back to their direction again.
Hill
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Trees
Lake (pond)
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Path and scenes
Paths are elements that articulate the spaces surrounding them. They create an effect through the visual links, the scenes that open up as people move along. Paths direct the eye and grab the attention to sights. They tell us how to read the qualities of their surroundings.
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Path and goal
Intermediate goals give users a feeling of having achieved something or of being on the way towards something. This motivates people to stay on the path. There should not be an excuse that people feel that they are being prevented from their destination. This is a negative control. Positively, an attractive intermediate goal like a viewing point, special plants etc. can lead people through a curved line to the destination.
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Visual links
Shifting paths requires visual access to changing scenes or images, meaning that the scene should be designed as well. The path line becomes a way of reading the open space.
Cone of vision If the path is shifted, there should be a scene in the cone of vision.
People take short-cut if they feel that they are negatively distracted from their direct line to the destination.
Shifted path with scenic design. People feel comfortable walking on a pleasant path with the visual links created in front of them.
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Path signs and path markers
Path surface (material), path width and path profile they convey coherence, reassure users that they are going the right way so that they can relax and pay attention to their surroundings. Changing certain characteristics of the path (e.g. changing the surface, changing the width etc.) draws attention back to the path, marks a change of significance (e.g. a junction), possibly means a change of orientation.
Articulation of movement by intensifying the contrast of surface and introducing a direction.
A coherent scene but composed of different elements unified by a common surface.
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individual features accompanying the path can give a strong sense of direction. Path markers can accompany a path in the form of a line (vegetation, bank, ditch, lamps, fences, benches, wall, sculptures, etc.)
Shrub and bench
Sculpture
Lamp
Trees as path markers can be in single-row or double-row path. Each has its own characteristics. A single-row path relates to the surrounding area. Trees on one side and a scene in the other. A double-row path creates space with its own rules. It is a sequence of gateways, with a calm, private and protected mood.
Single-row path
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Double-row path
path joints
they mean change. Crossing spatial boundaries. They are special, small-scale situations in the form of steps and ramps, junctions and stopping points. Stopping places usually defined with seats or benches. A bench is right only with regard to its surrounding. This means that there must be an attractive scene or open view in front of the bench.
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Paths and spatial sequences
Paths are instructions about how to read spaces and visual links. Spatial sequences can be placed in rows either merged with the path or on a side of it with a connection between spaces. An axial connection is also based on rows, but the spaces are only visually connected. This gives the start and endpoint significant importance.
Straight special sequence
Axial connection
Spaces sequenced in linear groups create a juxtaposition of spaces with direct or indirect access. If spatial sequences are interconnected, several spaces intersect with each other.
Public
Private
Linear spatial sequence
Intersected spatial sequence
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Precedent analysis The precedents analysis is carried out on three parks. Central Park New York which is considered as an indicator, since many of the tools formulated earlier has been used in it. Also Tufteparken and Bjølsenparken in Oslo. The analysis are in the form of sequential sketches, sequential photography and animation. The process of analysis is a critical focus on the paths as means of access and their surrounding environments.
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Central park New York
Gaptow Bridge - 1972 (Fredric Law Olmsted and the dialectic landscape; page 126
Central Park is an urban park in Manhattan, New York City, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. The park is designed with twisted paths in order to create a place for quiet meditation. The use of bends and small hills in the path urges the walker to slowly explore moving forward, always curious as to see what lay around the next bend.
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‘’ every foot of the parks surface, every tree and bush, as well as every arch, roadway, and path has been placed where it is for a purpose.’’ Fredric Law Olmsted
The area specified on the plan is chosen for analysing the characteristics in details. Therefore this specific part of the park is remodelled and animated in a sequence and sequential sketches.
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Here is a sequence of sketches featuring some of the scenes with a focus on the path and the environment created around it. On the one hand, the importance of natural elements (as the path markers) is revealed. On the other hand, the fence and the lamps strengthen the boundaries of the path and give a linear direction in the forward movement.
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The view here opens up to the lake and catches the eye. The illusion of recession of water created by the actual end of the lake behind the bushes and the trees and we are left with a mystery. The shifted path changes the scenes from an open view of the lake to a dense group of trees.
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The junction interrupts the alignment of the path and close one phrase and conceals the next, so that a pause is created. The path to the right of the scene has a different value of the others as the profile and the width of the path changes. A narrow fence-lined path goes up on the steep hill with the group of vegetation on the left. On the other side of the scene again the path moves along the edge of the lake.
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Here is known and beyond is unknown. In the background, we are visually connected to an intermediate destination (the bridge). The path is accompanied with short shrubs and single small trees so that an open scene is created as the cone of vision changes along the twisted path.
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Walking through Central Park with its twisted paths, group of rocks intersecting the paths, cluster of shrubs or trees and the open view of the lake, suddenly the eye is caught up and entangled in a bunch of intricacy and wonder which arouses a sense of curiosity, a sense of discovery and drama that we experience in moving through paths. A series of little surprises that one will be exposed to. An interplay between a known here and a known there. The destination is not visible, instead, a series of attractive intermediate goals such as stopping points, visual links, viewing points, special plants etc. are used to distract the user from the direct line to the destination.
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A Walk In Central Park New York - remodeled based on virtual walk through the park on google map model and animation made in rihno and lumion 26
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Bjølsenparken
The following sequential photographs study the form of paths in terms of path markers, spatial sequences, stopping points and the mood of the environment that they create in a forward movement. The first sequence moves through a straight line from the south-east to the central-east of the park. The second sequence also goes through a straight line from the north-west to nearly the central-west of the park.
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The juxtaposition of openness and closeness along the path introduces different sequential spaces. The main linear path markers are the fence (which defines property) to the left and a row of trees on the right. The entanglement of the space distracts the walker from the direct line. At the end a stopping space appears with trees in the back and a bench with an overview of the path. 28
Wooden columns of the hall in rows on the sides. A carpet of leaves asking for the steps. This is a sequence of gateways creating a calm, private space. An intermediate goal (stopping point) is a gift as the user leaves the hall behind.
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St. Hanshaugen Park
The fluctuation of the level is a significant feature in this park. The main destination is located in the centre which is almost the highest point of the park. However the intermediate goals such as stopping points, seating places, playground etc. create a visual connection that strengthens motivation to stay on the path. Three sequences studies these features of the park from the south part to the centre.
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This sequence starts at a junction (changing point). A twisted path and a direct path. The camera moves forward through the direct path. The path is upward and it creates a sense of curiosity for the user. The destination is not visible but the visual connection in the background motivates the user for the forward movement. Finally, there is a small gate created by the rails. A change happens.
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Walking up through the stairs bunch of shrubs appear right in the front view. Turning to the left a sense of illusion is created. A path goes directly to the vanishing point which hits the mountains in the background. A cluster of bushes reinforces this linear direction. To the right the stairs continue to the upper level which is still not visible. The tip of the building gives a feeling of having arrived at the goal. Above the stairs benches are waiting for the user.
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A single tree and a handrail are the path markers in the foreground of the first scene. Moving forward a stopping place appears with benches facing a scene of the town with a sense of superiority. The steps define the change of level providing the user with a surprise as space beyond is not visible.
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Conclusion The features, studied in this research, can only be seen and comprehended through sequences and frames. The device of framing brings the distant scene forward into the ambience of our own environment by particularising, by making us see in details and creates a sense of discovery and drama that we experience in moving through paths. The medium of film and sequential analysis gives us an opportunity to better modify the design of a path as a means of access and eventually helps us better design the scene that we have in our cone of vision while moving forward.
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Next Step The sequential analysis brings us a strong comprehension of the design process of a landscape with fluctuating topography. As the level of terrain changes the cone of vision changes as well. Thus we need to have a realisation of the physical aspects of such landscapes. The animation tool helps us clearly understand the mood of the environment. It gives life to all those imaginations that we have in the conventional design process. It reveals all the features, problems, hazards, etc. which might not necessarily be understood on a plan drawing. Considering these facts, we can have a better perception of the space in order to design a pleasant landscape with exciting scenes so that people enjoy walking there. With the critical vision generated out of this research, I would like to further explore how the parks work in Oslo. How do they create environments? Is there any other indicator that could be added to the list introduced in the research? Finally, to see if there is any park that needs to be redesigned based on the path design tools through sequential analysis. 38
References •
Christophe Girot, Fred Truniger. Landscape, Vision, Motion
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Gordon Cullen. The Concise Townscape
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Hans Loidl, Stefan Bernard. Opening Spaces, Design as Landscape Architecture. Movement and Access
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Frederick Law Olmsted and the Dialectical Landscape
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https://www.archives.nyc/. NYC Department of Records & Information Services
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A Walk In Central Park New York. Video https://ahocloud.box.com/s/2izx8klxpu5ktuj6uo5nqdd9ziiuna3r
The Oslo School Of Architecture and Design Pre Diploma - Fall 2019 Sepehr Kari Jafari
