An Oral History & Literary Review of Edward Blake
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Template B v3.0 (beta): Created by J. Nail 06/2015 An Oral History & Literary Review of Edward Blake Jr.: Exploring the Evidence of a Principled Practice By TITLE PAGE Hans Curtis Herrmann A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Mississippi State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Landscape Architecture in Landscape Architecture in the Department of Landscape Architecture Mississippi State, Mississippi December 2017 Copyright by COPYRIGHT PAGE Hans Curtis Herrmann 2017 An Oral History & Literary Review of Edward Blake Jr.: Exploring the Evidence of a Principled Practice By APPROVAL PAGE Hans Curtis Herrmann Approved: ____________________________________ Robert F. Brzuszek (Director of Thesis) ____________________________________ Chuo Li (Committee Member) ____________________________________ Michael Seymour (Graduate Coordinator / Committee Member) ____________________________________ George Hopper Dean College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Name: Hans Curtis Herrmann ABSTRACT Date of Degree: December 8, 2017 Institution: Mississippi State University Major Field: Landscape Architecture Committee Chair: Professor Robert F. Brzuszek Title of Study: An Oral History & Literary Review of Edward Blake Jr.: Exploring the Evidence of a Principled Practice Pages in Study: 351 Candidate for Degree of Master of Landscape Architecture This thesis is a study of oral histories and literary records covering the professional development and works of Edward Blake Jr., ASLA, (1947-2010). The study considers Blake’s design principles via newly collected oral histories and a review of his literary record within the continuum of landscape architecture history from 1970 to 2010. Additionally, the study explores Blake’s position within the ecological design community to establish his status as a possible founding voice of ecologically focused landscape architecture practice in the Coastal Plains Region of the southeastern United States. The primary sources include a newly developed oral history collection with questionnaire-based interviews of Blake’s eight colleagues, professional mentors, and collaborators, along with various forms of project and process documentation generated by Edward Blake Jr. and his practice, known as The Landscape Studio. The study concludes with a distillation of Blake’s design principles, lexicon, and contribution to the field of landscape architecture. DEDICATION I dedicate this work firstly to my wife Michele and daughter Petra, for their understanding and patience in allowing me to pursue my scholarly interests. Secondly, to my mother and father, Ursula and Hans Herrmann, for consistently encouraging me to know more about the world. I offer a special thanks to my colleague and friend, Director of the School of Architecture at MSU, Professor Michael Berk, for his support and encouragement. Lastly, and critically, I thank Professor Robert F. Brzuszek of the Mississippi State University, Department of Landscape Architecture, for introducing and sharing with me the ever-expanding wonders of the Crosby Arboretum and the people who helped to see it realized. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . Professor Robert Brzuszek for his encouragement and willingness to share his wealth of critical knowledge on Edward Blake Jr. and his contributions to the field of Landscape Architecture. Professor Michael Seymour, for his guidance and aid along this extended journey. Associate Professor Chou Li, for her patience and research expertise. Marilyn Blake for granting me an amazing interview and access to the personal library, sketchbooks and professional records of her late husband and business partner Edward Blake Jr. Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, Distinguished Professor and Former Director of the Fay Jones School of Architecture, University of Arkansas, for his willingness to share illuminating personal memories and critical insights on Ed Blake’s professional life and professional practice. Ted Flato, AIA, Principal, Lake | Flato Architects, for his interview and insights into the work Blake did at the River Camps on Crooked Creek project. Samuel Hogue, ASLA, former Mississippi State University Campus Landscape Architect, instructor in the MSU Dept. of Landscape Architecture, and long-time employee of The Landscape Studio, for his insight on Blake’s practice and unique way of seeing the world. iii . Robert Ivy, FAIA, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects. For his perspective on Blake’s work at the Crosby Arboretum and the productive relationship between Ed Blake and E. Fay Jones. Maurice Jennings, Principle of Maurice Jennings + Walter Jennings, PLLC for his enlightening interview and insights on the Crosby Arboretum and Pinecote Pavilion collaboration. Dr. Neil Odenwald, ASLA for the memories shared about Blake as a student and young practitioner. Robert F. Poore, ASLA, Principle of Native Habitats, for his wealth of knowledge about Blake’s practice, friends, mentors, icons, interests, professional aspirations, and motives. For without Roberts generosity, keen memory, and candor much of this study would not have be possible. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER I. RESEARCH INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................1 Research Introduction ............................................................................................1 Methodology: Oral Histories .................................................................................2 The Oral History Providers .............................................................................4 Personal & Professional Biography of Edward Blake Jr. ......................................7 Blake’s Influences & Mentors .......................................................................20 Five Projects of Note ...........................................................................................27 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE & PEER CRITIQUE ...........................................72 Review of Literature & Peer Critique .................................................................72 Edward Blake Jr. As Defined by His Realized Works ........................................72 In His Own Words: The Writings of Edward Blake Jr. ................................86 III. Oral Histories & Edward Blake Jr.’s Design Principles .....................................93 Oral Histories & Blake’s Design Principles ........................................................93 The First Principle: Privilege qualities over quantities, phenomena over pictorial, spirit over efficiency ..................................................95 The Second Principle: Expand the perceptions of user’s relationships. More visceral than intellectual, more evocative than literary, more chant than melody. ........................97 The Third Principle: Architecture is larger than the subject of architecture. Understanding through the sense of what things are, not what they mean. ...........................................100 The Fourth Principle: Organizations revealed through time. .............................................................................. 104 IV. RELEVANCE TO THE FIELD OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE .........108 v Relevance to Field .............................................................................................108 Lasting Ideas & Conclusions .......................................................................142 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 144 APPENDIX A. ORAL HISTORY QUESTIONNAIRE & TRANSCRIPTIONS .....................150 Oral History Questionnaire ................................................................................151 Oral Histories Transcriptions ......................................................................155 Edward Blake Jr. 2009 Curriculum Vitae .............................................346 vi LIST OF FIGURES 1.1 Edward Bailey Junior High School, Jackson, MS. ........................................................7 1.2 Heritage Square Park Fountain and Picnic Area Just After Opening ........................11 1.3 Edward Blake Jr. giving a tour at the Crosby Arboretum ............................................15 1.4 The Man in the Window: Landscape Studio with Blake’s Office Light On. ...............16 1.5 Blake’s Desk in The Landscape Studio, Hattiesburg, MS. ..........................................17 1.6 Edward Blake Jr. ..........................................................................................................19 1.7 Crosby Master Plan 2014 Edition ................................................................................30 1.8 Slough Crossing Frog View, Photo by: Edward Blake Jr. ...........................................31 1.9 South Savanna View, Photo by: Edward Blake Jr........................................................32 1.10 Beaver gum and pavilion reflections, Photo by: Edward Blake Jr. ...........................33 1.11 Lake Terrace Convention Center in the evening .......................................................34 1.12 Hattiesburg