The Stimson Perspective
LAUREN STIMSON , ASLA
When I first began writing this article , I was focused on how our work , from conceptual design through construction documents , is carefully crafted and evokes a distinct sense of place . I would say that we like to be clever with ordinary materials , and that this contributes to the creation of a landscape that is itself a work of art , feels well-conceived , site specific , and picturesque . In reality , every landscape architect should strive for some semblance of this and it is not necessarily a revelatory subject . Therefore , I instead looked back to our project archives for some insight — to see if I could find a common thread in our design practice that resonates with this discussion of ‘ art and landscape .’
ABOVE Schematic perspective for Harvard First Science Complex Allston , MA
What became obvious to me is that all of our work begins with a sketch — almost always a hand drawn sketch . It might be on the back of scrap paper during a first site visit or on a napkin in a diner on the way back from a client meeting . This quick drawing is an early impression or an instinct we have about the landscape . It often becomes the guiding graphic that we look back on throughout the duration of
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