Museum Voorlinden is located 30 minutes outside of The Hauge, which is home to the U.N.’s International Court of Justice. The museum is located on the grounds of Clingenbosch Estate and was opened in 2016. The gardens surrounding the estate are vast and connect to walking trails that go through the forest behind the estate and lead to sand dunes! The garden surrounding Museum Voorlinden was designed by renowned landscape architect Piet Oudolf. Piet Oudolf is best known for his intricate planting designs. His main focus is on the life cycle of plants and how the plant pallet can be designed to allow numerous species to exist and go through their life cycles harmoniously. This allows a user to have a different experience nearly every time they visit the garden. One species of plant may be blooming while another is going to seed. Although these cycles may happen at different times, the plant pallet combines texture and color to create a garden that feels as if it is stable. Because the plants are experiencing their growing cycles at different types, it is rare for the entire garden to look as if it is dead or empty. Because the garden is surrounding an art museum there will also be sculptures placed in it occasionally. Small mounds dot the landscape as well. They are used mostly in the warmer seasons as picnic spots. Pop up food vendors will also set up on the lawns in the warmer seasons as well.
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Hortus Botanicus Leiden is the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands! In the 1500s it was first used to grow medicinal plants. The original medicinal garden contained over 1000 different plants in a 35x45 meter space. From the 1600s onward the Hortus began to expand. Tropical plants were added to the collection and a Japanese garden was added as well. Hortus Botanicus finally got its first greenhouse, an orangerie, in the 1700s. It now has 2 glasshouses. The first one a guest will come across is at the entrance. The high glasshouse has multiple plant species ranging from ferns, to cacti, and even a large collection of carnivorous plants. The Victoria Glasshouse, known as the "jewel" of the Hortus' glasshouses, is home to giant waterlilies. October was the perfect month to visit Hortus Botanicus. It is still warm enough that the movable large potted plants are outside and it's beginning to get cold enough that the leaves are changing color. As the weather gets colder, all the potted plants that are outdoors are moved inside, regardless of size. Throughout the images it is easy to see how the Hortus Botanicus is affected by seasonal change. Although the glasshouses help warmer plants stay alive in the winter, the interior temperature is still dependent on exterior temperature. For example, the waterlilies in the Victoria glasshouse usually bloom June-August. Although it is a botanical garden, it is also used for education. In the first image empty plots can be seen. These plots could be empty due to the temperature or because students are experimenting with growth habits of new plants.
To find out more about Hortus Botanicus visit their website: https://www.hortusleiden.nl/en/ Tempelhofer Airfield is a 303 hectare park located in south Berlin and used to act as a military airport. After being closed in 0000 it was decided that the space would be transformed into one that could be used by the community. A design competition was held to decide how the airfield should be renovated, but surrounding residents liked the empty air field how it was. They enjoyed the fact they could use the space how they wanted too. The overall grain size of Templehof is quite large. Although there are sites marked for specific activities, the only areas on the site with a physical boundary are the dog park, gardens, and restricted areas. During the mating season, a temporary fence is put up around areas that are considered important mating areas. I really enjoy the fact that the people wanted to be able to use the space how they saw fit. Most of the people at the park while we were there used it for running and biking. There were also a few people working in the gardens, playing soccer, and just strolling through the park. Tempelhof is large enough that during the mating season, blocked off fields don't interrupt normal activity because users have so many options. One really unique temporary use of the field was the housing units for refugees. If Tempelhof had be completely redesigned it probably would not have been able to serve this purpose. Seeing a country use a public space to help people in need was very refreshing.
Landschaftspark is a 180 hectare (about 450 acres) park located in Duisburg, Germany. A space that was once home to a large iron production facility is now used as a park full of different ways to be explored and played with. Below are two structures that can be experienced from ground level and higher. On the right is the Sinterplatz. Although you can no longer walk on the original structure, a platform has been built over the bunkers at the base. This allows the user to feel that they are experiencing the structure in the same way the original platforms were designed. The platforms also allow the users to see into the bunkers below. The photo on the left was taken about halfway up the old blast furnace. The structure is massive and makes you feel very fall. From the blast furnace you can also see the ore bunkers that can be walked through, climbed up, slid down, and enjoyed from the platforms above. Above is a link that takes you to a map of the trails. After being on site for almost an entire day I still was not able to see the whole site. Unfortunately, I could not find the total kilometers of trails located in the park. You are also able to bike through the park. It has multiple defined bike trails and the website even talks about trails that connect the park to the surrounding cities.
If a user is looking to go for a quick job, rock climb, take their kids to the park, or enjoy a nice bike ride, Landschafts Park is ideal for everyone. |