Olmsted's Journey: From Vision To Landscape Architecture

Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered the father of landscape architecture in the United States. Olmsted's career path took many turns, including working as an apprentice seaman, merchant, and journalist. He settled on a 125-acre farm on Staten Island in 1848. In 1850, he travelled to England to visit public gardens, where he was inspired by Birkenhead Park in Liverpool. He subsequently wrote and published Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England in 1852. In 1857, Olmsted became superintendent of a new public works project: New York's Central Park. A contest was held to determine the park's design, and architect Calvert Vaux approached Olmsted to partner with him on a concept. Their plan won, and during the course of the complex project, Olmsted evolved into an expert in the planning of parks and landscapes.

Olmsted's early life and career path

Frederick Law Olmsted was born on April 26, 1822, in Hartford, Connecticut, to John Olmsted, a prosperous merchant, and Charlotte Law (née Hull) Olmsted. Olmsted's mother died from an overdose before his fourth birthday in 1826. His father remarried in 1827 to Mary Ann Bull, who shared his father's love of nature.

Olmsted's early life was marked by his father's influence and his interest in nature, which was further cultivated by frequent trips with his family to the countryside. However, his plans to attend Yale College were derailed when he suffered sumac poisoning, which weakened his eyes. Instead, Olmsted pursued a variety of endeavours, including working as an apprentice seaman, merchant, and journalist. In 1848, he settled on a 125-acre farm on Staten Island, which he renamed Tosomock Farm.

Olmsted's career path took a significant turn when he travelled to England in 1850 and visited Birkenhead Park, which left a profound impression on him. Inspired by this experience, he wrote and published "Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England" in 1852. This led to further opportunities, including a commission from the New York Daily Times to embark on an extensive research journey through the American South and Texas from 1852 to 1857. His dispatches to the Times were later compiled into several volumes, offering vivid first-person accounts of the antebellum South.

Olmsted's career in journalism flourished, and he served as an editor for Putnam's Magazine and contributed to the founding of the magazine, The Nation. However, his true passion lay in landscape architecture, and in 1857, he became superintendent of a new public works project: New York's Central Park. He collaborated with architect Calvert Vaux, and their design won the competition for Central Park. This marked a pivotal moment in Olmsted's career, as he evolved into an expert in the planning of parks and landscapes.

Olmsted's subsequent career was dedicated to shaping green spaces and creating innovative park systems across America. He is renowned for his contributions to iconic projects such as Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Boston's Emerald Necklace, the grounds of Stanford University, and the U.S. Capitol Grounds. He became a sought-after designer, known for his commitment to egalitarian ideals and his belief in the healing properties of nature.

Olmsted's father's influence

John Olmsted, Frederick Law Olmsted's father, was a prosperous merchant with a keen interest in nature, people, and places. He would often take his son on trips through the countryside to study landscapes, and this instilled in Olmsted a fascination for the beauty of nature. Olmsted's father also helped him acquire a farm on Staten Island, which he renamed Tosomock Farm.

Olmsted's father's strong love of nature was shared by his second wife, Mary Ann Bull, who was Olmsted's stepmother. Olmsted's father remarried a year after his mother, Charlotte Law (née Hull) Olmsted, died from an overdose when Olmsted was three years old.

Olmsted's father's interest in nature and landscapes was also influenced by the writings of late 18th-century English landscape gardeners, travelers, and theorists of landscape art. Olmsted's father exposed him to the works of Uvedale Price, William Gilpin, Humphry Repton, and others, which would later influence Olmsted's own ideas about landscape design and his eventual career as a landscape architect.

Olmsted's father took him on "tours in search of the picturesque," which, by the time Olmsted turned 16, had taken him through the Connecticut Valley and White Mountains, up the Hudson River, and westward to the Adirondacks, Lake George, and Niagara Falls. These experiences and the influence of his father played a significant role in shaping Olmsted's ideas about landscape design and his eventual career as a landscape architect.

Olmsted's work on New York's Central Park

Frederick Law Olmsted's work on New York's Central Park began in 1857 when he was appointed superintendent of the park. Olmsted and his partner, the English-born architect Calvert Vaux, entered a competition to design the park, against Egbert Ludovicus Viele and others. Their design, the Greensward Plan, was announced as the winner in 1858, beating 32 other competitors.

The Greensward Plan is notable for its combination of formal and naturalistic settings with architectural flourishes, such as Bethesda Terrace and ornate bridges. The plan also included transverse roads, sunken to allow vehicular traffic to traverse the park without disturbing the landscape experience for pedestrians. Olmsted and Vaux also designed a path system that subtly directed people's movements.

Olmsted and Vaux's design for Central Park incorporated a variety of landscapes and experiences. Its 843 acres included sweeping lawns, picturesque woodlands, meandering streams, and broad lakes. Over time, additional features were added, including baseball and soccer fields, a carousel, two skating rinks, a zoo, formal gardens, monuments, and concert and theatre venues.

Olmsted's tenure as Central Park commissioner was a long struggle to defend his belief that common green spaces must always be equally accessible to all citizens and defended against private encroachment. This principle is now fundamental to the idea of a "public park".

Olmsted's work on other notable projects

Frederick Law Olmsted is known as the "father of American Landscape Architecture". Over his career, he designed hundreds of landscapes, including college campuses, urban and suburban areas, planned communities, cemeteries, and specialised landscapes for expositions. Here is a detailed overview of some of his notable projects:

The World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago

Olmsted was involved in the design of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The project showcased his collaborative design approach, working with horticulturists, engineers, and architects to create a cohesive and impressive space.

Stanford University, California

Olmsted designed the Stanford University campus in California, showcasing his ability to create functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces for educational institutions.

Biltmore Estate, North Carolina

Olmsted was approached by George Vanderbilt in 1888 to help design a country retreat in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. Despite the land being overused and in poor condition, Olmsted created a picturesque landscape with unforgettable vistas framed by the Blue Ridge Mountains. This project demonstrated his skill in transforming spaces and creating memorable views.

Emerald Necklace, Boston

Olmsted designed Boston's Emerald Necklace, a chain of parks connected by parkways and waterways. This project showcased his ability to create a cohesive and unified composition across multiple spaces.

Buffalo Park System, New York

Olmsted designed the Buffalo Park System in New York, one of the largest and most complex projects he undertook. He created a system of parks and interconnecting parkways, showcasing his ability to work on a grand scale and transform urban spaces.

Niagara Reservation, New York

Olmsted played a crucial role in the conservation of Niagara Falls and designed the surrounding area, now known as Niagara Reservation or Niagara Falls State Park. This project highlighted his commitment to preserving natural wonders and making them accessible to the public.

Olmsted's retirement and legacy

Frederick Law Olmsted's retirement and death came about due to senility, forcing him to retire in 1895. He moved to Belmont, Massachusetts, and took up residence as a patient at the McLean Hospital, for whose grounds he had submitted a design that was never executed. He remained there until his death in 1903.

Olmsted's legacy is that of the "father of American landscape architecture". He is known for co-designing many well-known urban parks with his partner, Calvert Vaux, including Central Park in New York City, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Cadwalader Park in Trenton, New Jersey, and Forest Park in Portland, Oregon. Olmsted also designed the country's first and oldest coordinated system of public parks and parkways in Buffalo, New York, and the oldest state park, the Niagara Reservation in Niagara Falls, New York.

Olmsted's work, especially in Central Park, set a standard of excellence that continues to influence landscape architecture in the United States. He was an early and important activist in the conservation movement, including his work at Niagara Falls, the Adirondack region of upstate New York, and the National Park system. He also played a major role in organizing and providing medical services to the Union Army during the Civil War as head of the U.S. Sanitary Commission.

Olmsted's principles of design emphasised the use of naturally occurring features of a given space, the subordination of individual details to the whole, and the concealment of design. He believed that the most powerful effect of scenery was one that worked through an unconscious process, producing a relaxing and "unbending" of faculties made tense by the strain, noise, and artificial surroundings of urban life.

After Olmsted's retirement and death, his sons, John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., continued their father's work, doing business as the Olmsted Brothers. The firm lasted until 1980. Many works by the Olmsted sons are mistakenly credited to Frederick Law Olmsted today.

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