Frederick Law Olmsted - A Pioneer by Luck?

Many of you may already be familiar with Frederick Law Olmsted, as he is recognized by many as the father of modern landscape architecture. But let's take a step back into the mid to late 1800s.

Frederick was an interesting man with no formal university architecture training, yet he rose to become one of the most (if not the most) skilled, innovative, and influential city park designers in recorded history. The man co-invented the modern parkway system that connects several city parks via treed open green spaces enclosed by roads.



By his mid 20s, Olmsted had already attempted to make a living from surveying, but hated it. He attempted to sail to China as a seaman and nearly died. He was commissioned as a journalist to travel the southern US states and report on the realities of slavery. Then from about the age of 24 to 30, Frederick was given a 125ish acre farm to work. He never made a profit from his unique style of agriculture, but his trials and knowledge of farming would be what led to his partnership with British-American classically trained architect and landscape designer Calvert Vaux. Before I write his life story and spoil any sense of personal discovery for those of you who are interested, I'll end with a point that I think is illustrated in my title. Was Frederick Law Olmsted simply a pioneer by luck? If you look into it, Calvert Vaux essentially opened the door into the landscape design world for Frederick Law Olmsted. What are your opinions?

a reply to: IDontLikeSalt

Neat bit of history, but I think this goes to show that modern western society tends to place a lot of credit on the formal university system and titles earned than actual life experience.

Formal instruction, when well implemented, does provide people with knowledge and ability, but for autodidacts with life experience and a bit of imagination formal instruction might only serve to slow them down. A good example of this is Carl Friedrich Gauss, a german mathematician who was said to have solved really hard math problems before he had even started school and would often confound his teachers by solving what they thought to be impossible problems.

a reply to: IDontLikeSalt

recognized by many as the father of modern landscape architecture

Sorry but you are off the mark.

That title goes to Lancelot " Capability " Brown.

www.capabilitybrown.org...

en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: alldaylong

Let me school you a little. When I said 'recognized by many..' that means that a certain number of people who I consider to be a sizable population recognize Olmsted as the Father of modern landscape architecture. Your reply would have been warranted had I said that the majority or even all people recognize Olmsted as the father of modern landscape architecture, but alas, I didn't.

You may feel free to author a post about Lancelot Charlie Brown. This thread is about Frederick Law Olmsted. Good day.

originally posted by: IDontLikeSalt
a reply to: alldaylong

Let me school you a little. When I said 'recognized by many..' that means that a certain number of people who I consider to be a sizable population recognize Olmsted as the Father of modern landscape architecture. Your reply would have been warranted had I said that the majority or even all people recognize Olmsted as the father of modern landscape architecture, but alas, I didn't.

You may feel free to author a post about Lancelot Charlie Brown. This thread is about Frederick Law Olmsted. Good day.

I think i have touched a " raw nerve "

a reply to: IDontLikeSalt

I live in West Orange which contains part of South Mountain Reservation, the park's design takes many queues from the Olmstead's Central Park plans. Be walking the trails you get a great appreciation for how the Olmstead's incorporated the natural setting's into the overall park design.