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ED70480_Esplanade_gardenguide.forweb.qxd 6/22/07 10:36 AM Page 2 t h e THE DESIGNERS Esplanade At the Chicago Daniel Urban Kiley (1912–2004) Botanic Garden, Considered one of the the Esplanade is a modern-day village founding fathers of modern landscape green—a place to gather, to rest, to architecture, Dan Kiley take in the view. reshaped America’s ideas about the outdoors during Its world-class design is simple and a career that lasted more elegant, thoroughly modern in its use of than 60 years. TO LEARN MORE LOOK UP AND OUT Photo: Aaron Kiley space—yet written in the basic geometric If you’ve traveled in America, you’ve seen Kiley’s Saunders, William S., ed. Daniel Urban Kiley: The Early work: the grounds beneath the soaring St. Louis shapes of formal, classical design. It made sense to approach Dan Kiley to design Gardens. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1999. the Esplanade. As one of the 20th century’s Memorial Arch, the thrilling fountains at the Kiley, Daniel. Dan Kiley: The Complete Works of Though it is a garden of great dignity, greatest modern landscape architects, Kiley United States Air Force Academy in Colorado, America’s Master Landscape Architect. In collaboration had helped to redefine ideas about space. and New York City’s Lincoln Center. Kiley the Esplanade is a public space, a with Jane Amidon. Boston: Little Brown and Co., Rather than trying to recreate nature, as their designed gardens large and small, private and pub- 1999. “people” space, a garden that is meant Romantic predecessors had done, Modernists lic. He collaborated with the best modern archi- Trieb, Mark, ed. Modern Landscape Architecture: A like Kiley looked at space as three-dimensional to be used. tects—Eero Saarinen, Louis Kahn, Edward Critical Review. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1993. volume, capable of being arranged into Larrabee Barnes—on projects geometric pieces flowing into and out of one Lenhardt Library that broke down the barriers between indoor and es·pla·nade (es'ple näd') n. a level, another. For these and other titles, visit the Lenhardt Library of outdoor architecture. the Chicago Botanic Garden Library, open 9 a.m. to 4 Modernists were pragmatists as well. They open space; especially, a public walk, In 1997, Dan Kiley was awarded the National p.m. Monday through Saturday. understood that humans actively use their Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton. www.chicagobotanic.org/library often along a shore. landscapes—for agriculture, for living, for play. Realizing that man’s connection to the land Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the can be lost in urban life, Modernists searched Chicago Botanic Garden Peter Morrow Meyer The Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago for ways to reestablish that contact in even Having worked with Kiley Botanic Garden offers classes and seminars in gardening, the most urban of sites. for nearly 14 years, Peter landscape design and more. For a course guide, please The tenets of modern landscape architecture Meyer continued as the call (847) 835-8261 or visit continue to resonate: Keep it simple. Make it designer of the Esplanade www.chicagobotanic.org/school. useful. Let the spaces flow. Strive to make connections. when Kiley passed away in 2004. Meyer has designed Dan Kiley was a master and executed commissions of these ideas. around the world, collaborating with some of www.chicagobotanic.org (847) 835-5440 today’s most recognized architects and artists. The Chicago Botanic Garden is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. © 2007 Chicago Botanic Garden ED70480_Esplanade_gardenguide.forweb.qxd 6/22/07 10:36 AM Page 1 THE ESPLANADE GEOMETRY IN them, marking the transition where the formal Esplanade gives way to the more natural gardens THE GARDEN beyond. Yews are quick growers that tolerate aggressive pruning (here, two to three times a year). Kiley was renowned for merging classic elements of The Right Plant Equals The Right Effect garden design with a clean, Peter Morrow Meyer chose particular plants to modern perspective. The create particular effects in particular sites. (This is simple geometric forms that good advice for home gardeners, too.) humans have long used to The allée is lined with shape nature became the Dutch Elm Disease (DED) has disease-resistant elms. vocabulary of his landscape design. They destroyed most of the elms in In time they will form are used throughout the Esplanade. ™ America; Commendation elms an arch that visitors The Commons: Allée and Tapis Vert are, to date, one of the best will pass through before A natural gathering place, the Commons disease-resistant tree varieties. they experience the combines allée (avenue) with tapis vert (carpet of The Chicagoland Grows™ “burst” outward to the green). This simple, rectangular shape is three- program, of which the Chicago water and sky beyond. dimensional—with elms as walls and roof, and Botanic Garden is a partner, Despite their size, trees grass at your feet. is introducing this hybrid. can create subtle effects. As you cross A Wall of Water: Sound, Sight, Movement the bridge to the Esplanade, a natural wall of The design of the Esplanade acknowledges the columnar beeches guides you toward the allée. Chicago Botanic Garden’s deep ties to the water GARDEN BOTANIC CHICAGO Willow trees wave at the water’s edge—even when The Crescent (the entire Garden is a series of islands within a young, their effect is romantic. American lake system): hornbeam, tightly clipped into a hedge, forms the “Should not the role of Concentric tiers are shaped by • The allée leads directly to the water and its back side of the seating areas. hundreds of evergreen boxwood. view of Smith Fountain. A stalwart, structural plant that’s A grove of birches veils the Regenstein Center, design be to reconnect easily shaped, tightly clipped • Three long fountains provide the Esplanade’s enhancing the effect of “a building in a garden.” boxwood creates the illusion of a best sound effect with a wall of water plumes. White-barked ‘Whitespire Sr.’ was chosen for its human beings with mass of green “steps” flanking The fountains draw you toward them with borer resistance, multi-stemmed shape and open the curved beds. Watch for bold their sound and shimmering water. crown. A mix of ferns and a sprinkling of their space on planting ideas in the Crescent’s • The lake walk and water terrace give visitors hydrangeas add texture and color. beds each season. direct access to the water as well as to the Waterlilies, long lauded as one of the most the land?” Crescent and Native Plant Gardens. beautiful flowers known to man, add elegance to the water’s edge. A Bosque (Grove) of Cones ~ Dan Kiley Topiaried yews stand in a grove, like sentinels, around the Pavilion. Their man-made shapes contrast with the informal, loose spruce behind.