Art Deco public garden rehabilitation

Public open space in American Cities is being rejuvenated as our culture changes and we repopulate our abandoned central cities. Washington, DC, is a fine example of the public realm being transformed through new citizens, changes in transportation, the need to reduce carbon use, and a highly successful historic preservation movement. Before looking at these late 20th-century and early 21st-century changes, we should step back to see where the public open space originated and understand how art and monuments have informed it. How does art have a tangible relationship with open space and the need to protect our planet's environment? Is environmental preservation not about the oceans, rivers, forests, wetlands, and ecosystems? All those places are crucial to our planet's health; however, we have now realized that the threat to them is how we plan and build our habitable landscapes.1 These threats to our planetary ecosystems arise from places that are far distant and disconnected. Humanity is now working to make world landscapes more sustainable by preserving cities and natural habitats, including their art and monuments, which are at the heart of the issue as vital visual records of a culture's history, traditions, and identity. The fight to mitigate carbon-related climate change and the decrease in biodiversity, all classified as ‘adaptation to climate change’ worldwide, has been focused on urbanized places and natural habitats. The United Nations has identified the world's environmental goal as modifying our approach to land use to lessen the need for automobiles. This was ratified in 2015 with the Paris Agreement. This ongoing effort has been most successful in major cities with heritage-designated open spaces, buildings, art, and monuments. It has become a part of the international movement to increase walkability and support increased and well-located population density to create a mix of uses to allow expanded multi-modal transportation. Bringing walkability back to our communities is essential to reducing the carbon load in our atmosphere, creating healthy, interactive, and culturally tolerant neighborhoods, and reversing the destructive effects of suburban sprawl. Major cities worldwide have generous areas designated as critical to preserve, renovate, or respectfully adapt their historical context to new uses; the Western cultural terminology for this is Heritage Places: A society or group's physical artifacts and intangible attributes are inherited from the past. These places are valuable for scientific and conservation reasons and for the importance that people attribute to them. This includes the natural environment, biodiversity, and geological elements. A place that UNESCO has designated as having special importance and needing to be protected. World Heritage Sites can be ancient ruins, historical structures, cities, deserts, forests, islands, lakes, monuments, mountains, or wilderness areas. This place under discussion, an Art Deco Garden in Washington, DC, as a part of a National Park Service site, including a recently dedicated United States National Monument, is a part of Western European cultural tradition. All international cultural places are part of the most recent of two of seven epochs, the Pleistocene and the Holocene. We are at the end of the Holocene, moving into the Anthropocene.2 The Anthropocene is when human activities have significantly impacted the planet, including designated and protected heritage sites. Western European cultural periods are within these epochs and eras, as described in this condensed outline.3 The Mesolithic (middle stone age; stone tools: hunters-gatherers). The Neolithic (late stone age; stone tools with the beginning of farming and more organized societies). The Chalcolithic Age (copper stone age: copper tools, expanded built communities, long-range trading). The Bronze Age (the mixing of two ‘stones’ (tin and copper) for use as tools and the beginning of written history). The Iron Age (the invention of Iron tools and the advancement of tools for warfare that are, for the first time, available to all). Classical Antiquity (the advancement of science, art and learning). Middle Ages (The loss of classical science/learning due to a protracted Christian-led genocide).4’5 Renaissance (The rebirth of classical antiquity leading to the Enlightenment, the revival of humanism and science, which ended with the “Sack of Rome” in 1527, where the armies of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V).6 The Age of Enlightenment (The Age of Enlightenment was characterized by a focus on reason, logic, and scientific inquiry; it significantly impacted the development of modern philosophy and science.). Baroque (The “oddly shaped pearl” of the catholic counter-reformation where all the arts of expanding Christendom were engaged to oppose protestant austerity.7 After the Council of Trent (1545–63), it lasted approximately 150 years until democratic revolutions removed the aristocracy and the church from Western secular rule. Its voluptuous forms and pedagogic theatricality spread across the monarchial places of garden design, with their swirling ornate parterres and tapis vert sweeping into the distant view to control all. During the Baroque, a new architectural discipline focused on building landscapes.8 Its late bold realization was L'Enfant's (the son of a French Baroque painter and professor) plan for Washington, DC, in 1791, which was the setting for our 20th century-modern garden.).9 Romanticism (The countermovement to the Enlightenment's focus on reason and logic, emphasizing emotions, imagination, and individual expression.) Modern (The Modern era began in 1863 with the rejection of Eduard Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe by the Paris Salon, which was subsequently exhibited at the Salon de Refuses.10 This is the era of our Art Déco Garden Rehabilitation). Postmodern (This is our current era and is thought to have begun with pop art in the 1960s).11 This epoch has yet to be officially declared; however, we live in it.12 “Art in the Anthropocene,” encompassing contemporary art practices that directly address and critically examine the significant human impact on the environment, including themes like climate change, resource depletion, extinction, and the complex relationship between humans and nature. While all world cultures accept the defined geologic periods, the cultural periods are highly varied; hence, their Heritage Site Categories differ significantly from the Western European context of this Art Deco Period Garden. Cultural periods bleed and mix between time and place, so I will give a short review to provide an international perspective of three cultures for which I have academic and personal experience, including those of Southeast Asia, Japan, and Islamic Garden design. The underlying cultural motivation for all Southeast Asia cultures is the principle of Feng Shui, which translates as ‘wind-water’. (Figure 1) Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that involves arranging buildings and objects to create harmony with the surrounding environment and promote well-being. As an urban designer designing places for private clients in China, the Philippines, and Malaysia, showing respect for these principles was paramount. All designated heritage sites in Southeast Asia will express these principles. The principles of Feng Shui are believed to have originated in ancient China, with the earliest documented back to the early it of the in the the first in of to from to The Chinese and the of the the Western and This was built with the of in the late classical the from the early Bronze Age as the for the which to the Roman The Chinese the Roman with an the Roman of of Islamic Garden at of of into the of modern design. This those of in a more in of this I an reason to Islamic and urban in working on urban in Islamic garden from the of the began in where were a of warfare the the places were with This place of their for which the plan or the or (Figure The earliest example is the in the garden of the at After the Islamic of the this and it into the to The areas the and was from the garden like the on the and the to moving from the and into the the a for the of all the It is that of a that the from to the at the the and the were two that in of the from until and at the of and the the Islamic on in are the most and monuments in world This significantly from the is or that the of the and of this within the of and (Figure This of the of is from a is the Chinese Feng where or to be with and not which is more like the and Roman a more and personal of The cultural garden principles garden garden garden garden garden are with the the being as as the are a with the being the places to A that people to the of and a central part of art and is of the of The are the approach to Heritage This is in Western culture time, the and to ancient places have been The National Park Service on for These This to the of by and This to by and expanding their and new with these ancient This to protect and and people to use This support to to their of this effort to and historic and building is the and ongoing to the of as It was first for most of the It was abandoned when the to have been and of buildings are being The plan was with public buildings, and on an on Chinese as The and are designated UNESCO World Heritage and The and Chinese preservation are to be in the due to the of contemporary to historic places not to the historic the of cultural in a and the of The National for in the cultural heritage with the National Park change to significant cities worldwide will to their and for monuments, and place described in this is a of the National a National Park Service and a designated National to a new by This the for or designing for historic on art I like to of this as an academic A Cultural a The first step in this is the of significant as by a historical or the National Park Service has and a plan for this this it It cultural and with it. The is the and into of the and art of the Modern having with in at to for the and of significant historic and in the at The of with the of the National for It has a perspective on heritage preservation and importance in to climate Public open are recent historical those and by the or public open in European central cities began as private of the the central in and as into as The The and of public space of European garden The European the highly and of the and Baroque as from to the by these Baroque landscapes into a natural or and were were to create and were and to create of nature. these to allow the to to the of the and the a to the open view the from to the or These were not public this of the of urban Public These landscapes a leading part of the movement and the and of the During the late to the of this time classified this new of landscapes as and This was of the which the and their Baroque as and Le de in The movement to a the Enlightenment in Western the the the the the the the the and the The of the Baroque were and a more democratic garden was These to the of cultural and to of the of this rejection of was an in and believed that was a of and back the development of a new visual for the modern an early of and as in new of open the of arranging spaces, in in This rejection of of cultural was to until the when a new cultural in art and The garden was to with the of an and in with the to this son of a where and the in their the a leading the American at in like and were on and them through of and and and the first for with public documented by and of an American in of a and a A of the in this which has been of and Charles of the new is and a of and to give the and of in by in as a like the for built in the was the of the It was a and place for the of in that and this of public space and back to and it for to the Park with and their central began the American Park a movement for public open space in American cities, and a new and more recent history, The of to cities significantly American central cities, leading to and These our central public realm in the the and the of the public realm was and in the of were to increase and build through our cities to moving people in and of the of cities for their DC, the that be expanded across the with the through of with as far as in The this This of within the and was reason for the National in This was with the of the Washington, and the beginning of building a Washington, DC, Public on sustainable and the and of cultural with the of a sustainable place, is being and the are being in to make for and to protect the and and reduce carbon use through the in the need for the of the has Renaissance and the of the can be in the Renaissance and garden The Renaissance of the world through the of a new in the relationship between and not the and of the into and part of the the garden to the approach to as a and as an of and The of the garden the of the into the garden and this has become a as with Baroque and is of of the National and The has with with the plan the Period of of the garden We have organized this for in on the Cultural for changes to a to the National Site where this is We see this as a first step in this place to the of cultural the has This is not an an to that This is an example of a National Park Service The these to be when a change is to be to a historic National for designated historic landscapes the use this We use this as an example of be significant changes are This uses this to the cultural that the place and time of the of The from L'Enfant's plan for the These were of are with the of the in the of the and which is of L'Enfant's Baroque (Figure The of the was realized to L'Enfant's plan the in the by a of public by The the and the was in as the of urban the to be a address early in the of of the As to the of the of was removed in and in with a the of the the of the the to create their and in This from the by and of the by the Park for the of the was the setting for to and the the This was early for was a in the United States and a a dedicated to the in the of L'Enfant's which was at their was to at the and a new was in This is a by three and by and and French in the see an Art in the the movement of and (Figure was in a significant in and the The first Modern Art the was by in with early of European and American was an to a and a Art This was and first Modern Art which the in as an and was a part of the early 20th in their by and During in to the from the to The that and from to at the of and of on the of this garden is not available at the time of this it be through a Cultural The was in expanded in and expanded and was in Its National Park Service designated of is The Garden as by the National Park Service plan the Period of is the of this design, and the era of we the as Art Art Deco was an international that from to as or the current in Art Art Deco in Art between and from natural and focused on and The Art was to the Art Deco from and on and or Garden in this was characterized by the and as by the American and as and and the with the to be by the creating public in for the of with the natural was a and with and Park in the and natural to be a democratic place of cultural This was the and is in The plan for is the of and the of that give an of of new and of or and to create that have of and the or of of the first of the Park was the of in of the to make for and of L'Enfant's Baroque for a sweeping a public that we now as The National is of art being built in as it the The places that the and built in the Art Deco and place the of their in and working in the Art Deco was to an Art Deco began in when the (the Deco and of with and was with the of and and of this were the from Art Deco to was a for at moving them from and Art Deco to the of that it is the time of we are the of the Deco as in be of in as a art with and at and for the at the and in the in to in the of and or in when with art and first Le of the on and the were early of and and were of American and French and modern art in their in was an Art Deco and by with a Garden by in The de of for the Art Deco in for the and can be The was the that the world of and with the world of and we see the of and in the Period of by the National Park Modern and and in of these garden an of Islamic Garden This of Islamic has for these 20th-century Art Deco as for garden The or their and and and were to the that these it is the and the in and was the built their on in back their with for a of These back the an with and the a It that an in was by Islamic Garden as as and in Art Deco and Garden have the as by a of garden The and the garden have significant changes the was and built We can see by the that is available the of in the public realm the of We can that most were from of from the A of looking The the of which is The and are A central in the between the and the and garden is The of time, including to the in the late and the and of have the of the is the that the of the have and all garden are the early years of the the working with with the to the in the as in the of as late as were yet in the the and the Period of a of the It that these have American by first identified in in the garden includes the which on During the a does not on the or in the As of this the of will in A new will be the leading to the the to This new is to be a for and the to use on the and of a and all a central a for a by the and a central all on a central of Period of for DC, (Figure (Figure is into and The and the National have for these These should be to and plan and all We have as our the or of a cultural through or to make use preserving significant or in A cultural is as it was or is a new or use that the of historic spaces, and and are or to them from and or new not historic and that the cultural is from the and is with the historic and and of the of the in and The National Park Service will not to be in their for to be removed are on the garden of the Period of The are a from and the historic the these were in these urban to historic is a The plan should the of with for the to is on the The and be to a cultural that have historic in their are and These have a for and and are by the We will an in our The in the plan is We have identified a which is being yet we that it and to The is the historic so we a in an Art Deco that will be to it from the and The are a of the were a historic for it is a documented We have identified a It has the and and is more the of the This is The plan for This is a for urban sites and and which can be with We will to the While the is far years we that the be and at a of more While the plan the the the current movement the back to the We that the space between the and the be with stone to on these new the and the are to increase the with the significant of from the to This plan does not changes to the public or It for the on the Cultural All is from available This is an to an and where documented from can be more it should be that time, we can more the impact of the on the and have on the design. that is the time, place, and garden an Art Deco on this public The we as for the were or the private of This is a Park by the National Park with a highly Period of and it be as and as While we have to this garden we due to the more recent of as a for a special a and has been officially dedicated to has a to with special this historic we or an use, to was from the All more in short most people in we are an was an from a and garden an setting for We a in the of the on the Period of This a by of the significant historical The is a for and and support an highly The and be to the like the like a the a to and The the and it creating a place for and working with the National Park Service on significant I understand and the in and our National and is the natural and cultural and of the National Park for the and of this and The is spread and historic and of which are with we see the ongoing of from and of the and the Major have these crucial the surrounding and are them a will be to the has to the that and a historic in This has been a successful and for that Park is a urban by and the beginning in was to with the Cultural which to on historical and I this with at The by this by a the Park the of and the of make the by from the of the American the and and the the of this resource and an to and this We have that need and public open space and cultural which need this the and Major and The is of and is building a of The and a cultural in the public This public realm is the and that described as public or We creating a to these places of and We with Cultural for this be the our be as as those in as and it be and should be Period is in the of Washington, by Charles in The National for the of to be of and of public build L'Enfant's and Art the first for Bronze by the to Washington, the to be to in and the in and French the a in and French the of their for the on The Art Deco in Paris this to the The Park Service the design. Art Deco Modern and to the United States when from and and or (Figure The stone and and (Figure Art Déco The and of our Art Deco Garden and and (Figure National Cultural Park for National National of a and for a Park National and Heritage of Park and of the for the of from the of by in Park to and including Park and The Park was in the and was a for and a on the in Park including the the of by Charles of of the plan for The of National The National of the plan for the National Park this the the principles of Feng Shui with Islamic urban design. is a that includes Islamic and Chinese was the in an Feng Shui This was a the site, to the building and at the building to the as The in the the Feng Shui for this architectural The plan of this Feng Shui principles The was the of the from the of the American and were at the of the and the new The this to lessen the of into the new I part in a with in a at of on to the and at the in