Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 5-2014 The Role of the Transcendent in Landscapes Kathryn E. Sonntag Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Landscape Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Sonntag, Kathryn E., "The Role of the Transcendent in Landscapes" (2014). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 3697. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/3697 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ROLE OF THE TRANSCENDENT IN LANDSCAPES by Kathryn E. Sonntag A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Approved: _______________________ __________________________ Caroline Lavoie Sarah E. Gordon, PhD Major Professor Committee Member _______________________ __________________________ Phillip S. Waite Mark R. McLellan, PhD Committee Member Vice President for Research and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2014 ii Copyright © Kathryn E. Sonntag 2014 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT The Role of the Transcendent in Landscapes by Kathryn E. Sonntag, Master of Landscape Architecture Utah State University, 2014 Major Professor: Caroline Lavoie Department: Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning There is evidence that the need for spaces of contemplation is as real as ever, despite the seeming lack of spaces designed to provide the possibility of transcendent connection. Reintroducing commonly held physical attributes and characteristics of contemplative spaces that have been repeated through space and time is a fundamental and necessary way to reflect this renewed interest in and need for integrated ways of knowing in the landscape. Placing spaces conducive to the transcendent within the built community fabric could aid in addressing the modern Western phenomenon of places that lack characteristics which support an individual experience of transcendence. By looking at contemporary spaces with these characteristics as well as those from the past, this study seeks to describe the implications and unique opportunities available to landscape architects in addressing this aspect of integrated design. iv Through historical overview and case studies devised of comparative analysis and my personal experience, this paper addresses the benefits of further identifying and understanding the necessary design elements of spaces of transcendence, and the role of introducing these elements into landscapes to provide for the potentiality of the transcendent experience. Three designed spaces are selected for case study comparative analysis and chosen based on their public nature, variation in scale, use, and designated user, to evaluate the current use of and potential for development as spaces of contemplation and the possible individual transcendent experience. Five overarching criteria with sub-criteria for measuring successful presence of reoccurring elements of spaces of transcendence are chosen based largely on historical overview, which finds summation in the recommendations of contemporary landscape architects such as Heinrich Hermann. Underlying principles of these criteria are used to gauge and evaluate the success of spaces, in tandem with my impressions. The five criteria selected are: the creation of a sense of vastness, incorporation of archetypal design elements, minimization of distracting stimuli, physical orientation within larger order, and the harmonious integration of spatial qualities. Analysis of these sites strives to benefit future design of community spaces that would be conducive to the transcendent. By describing characteristics of contemporary spaces of contemplation and transcendence, this thesis seeks to demonstrate how greater incorporation of certain design elements could help foster public spaces of contemplation that allow for the possibility of individual transcendence. v This study contributes to the overarching goal of restorative design by addressing the user need of experiencing cosmologically aligned space, the presence of which contributes to a greater sense of place and, by extension, personal identity, orientation, perspective, and purpose. This study adds to a postmodern understanding of contemplative space, that is, the notion of an ancient framework and its contemporary application and possible contributions to the current and future betterment of individuals and communities. (177 pages) vi PUBLIC ABSTRACT The Role of the Transcendent in Landscapes Kathryn E. Sonntag For as long as humans have designed spaces, they have done so not just to meet basic physical needs but in quest of higher aspirations, including those spiritual and intellectual. These were spaces of contemplation, conducive to the transcendent experience, found in abundance in premodern times, and generally communal in nature. They are less prevalent now, yet there is ample evidence that the need for spaces of contemplation as well as transcendent experiences is as real as ever, despite the current lack of spaces providing such a transcendent connection. Past communal landscape design that provides for the possibility of the transcendent is found to incorporate a unique array of underlying principles guiding the physical attributes of spaces, including design criteria that: create a sense of vastness, incorporate archetypal design elements, minimize distracting stimuli, orient individuals within a larger order, and have harmonious spatial qualities. Reintroducing these commonly held design characteristics of contemplative spaces into public landscapes, though now experienced individually rather than communally, is a fundamental and necessary way to reflect this renewed interest in and need for transcendent experiences in the landscape, and could aid in addressing the modern Western phenomenon of spaces that lack the structure to support contemplation. Little research has been done, however, to evaluate the current use of and potential for existing public spaces as spaces of contemplation and possible transcendent experience. A literature review of historical precedents establishing the five guiding categorical design criteria listed above, guides three case studies of public spaces in the Seattle, Washington area. Sites are selected from the Seattle area because of concentration and variety of spaces designed by well-known landscape architects and their proximity to the author. Individual sites were selected based on their public nature, variation in scale, purpose and location. These case studies, comprised of comparative analysis and my personal experience, highlight the benefits of further identifying and understanding necessary design elements of spaces of contemplation. A discussion of implications related to possible benefits shows that incorporation of such spaces into community fabric presents many community and personal benefits to users. By looking at existing contemporary spaces as well as those from the past, this study seeks to describe the implications and unique opportunities available to landscape architects in addressing this aspect of integrated design. Analysis of these spaces strives to benefit future design of spaces that would be conducive to the transcendent. vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my committee members, Prof. Caroline Lavoie, Prof. Phillip Waite, and Dr. Sarah Gordon, for their support and insight along the way. I also give thanks to my colleagues for their encouragement and advice through various iterations. I thank my friends and family who have given continued support, especially my husband, Robert, whose shared love and enthusiasm for sacred space and design helped carry the work along. Kathryn E. Sonntag viii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii PUBLIC ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ vii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................x CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................1 II. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................7 III. LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................19 Definitions and Key Terms Relating to Transcendence ............................19 Historical Overview ...................................................................................47 IV. CASE STUDIES AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS ................................87 Gasworks Park ...........................................................................................93 Benaroya Garden of Remembrance .........................................................119 Waterfall Garden Park .............................................................................139