K category: Landscape design
Squares, boulevards, pedestrian zones, embankments
These territories have a large share in the overall greening system of the city. They significantly modify the urban environment, enhance the nature factor in the city, significantly reduce the pollution of its atmosphere, and diversify the leisure time of the population. They are united by a common recreational focus, decorativeness, the short duration of people’s stay on their territory, a close connection with urban development and urban transport, and their generally accessible nature.
Squares
Squares are small green areas in the city, intended for short-term recreation of pedestrians and decorative design of city squares, streets, embankments, and areas near public buildings, spaces around monuments. Squares can also have special forms of use (information, advertising, design of memorials, exhibitions). The area of public gardens ranges from 0.2 to 2 hectares. The main types of public gardens are presented in Fig. 10.1.
A special place is occupied by decorative public gardens, created in squares or traffic intersections without people having access to their territory. In such squares, monuments, sculptures are installed, a fountain or flower garden is arranged. Their sizes are small, and their shape is determined by transport routes. Such “green islands”, as a rule, should not have high vegetation, which can reduce traffic safety.
In table 10.1 shows the balance of park areas in various urban planning situations as a percentage of their total area.
Currently, given the shortage of nature in urban areas, especially among old buildings, they are trying to use every free plot to create landscaped public gardens and other small green spaces.
Rice. 2. Plan of the park near the Belorussky railway station in Moscow
Architectural and landscape design of public gardens covers a whole range of issues, including the problems of green construction itself, the organization of traffic and pedestrian traffic, protection from dust and noise and, of course, first of all, aesthetic problems (Fig. 2, 3).
Analysis of planning solutions for public gardens in our country and abroad allows us to highlight the following basic techniques of their architectural and landscape composition:
– formation of the square space using the techniques of classical, regular gardening art;
– free picturesque layout based on the technique of classical landscape parks;
– organization of the space of the park with the laconic geometry of its layout, characteristic of Dutch and German gardening art;
– exaggeration of picturesque planning elements using exotic forms of vegetation and mannerism in equipment and landscaping (squares in Brazil, Cuba and other Latin American countries);
– borrowing and transformation of techniques of Japanese gardening art;
– the use of “pictorial” techniques of cubism, abstractionism, suprematism, etc.
Rice. 3. Plan of an “ornamental” garden for contemplative relaxation “Vasa-parken” (Stockholm); 1 - decorative paving made of concrete slabs and stone; 2 - platforms with benches; 3 - decorative pools; 4 - trellises; 3 - retaining wall made of natural stone
City squares are interpreted in one case as autonomous “green oases” with a closed spatial composition (Fig. 4), contrasting with environment; in another - as an element subordinate to the module and scale of a large architectural ensemble or structure (Fig. 10.5).
In the first case, isolation from an unfavorable environment can be achieved: noise-dust-gas-protective forms of plantings, decorative protective walls, deepening the park using water devices, and using geoplastics; in the second case, it is better to arrange parterre solutions in the space of the park, limit or completely eliminate the use of tall vegetation, and use regular gardening techniques.
Rice. 4. Examples of the layout of city gardens (Moscow): a - garden named after. Bauman; b - “Aquarium” garden
Rice. 5. Examples of the layout of existing public gardens (Moscow): a - on the square. Communes in front of the Soviet Army Theater; b - on the square Lermontov
When landscaping public gardens, you should use dust- and gas-resistant, shade-tolerant plants that can adapt well to difficult urban conditions. General norms for landscaping public gardens are given in Table. 2.
Thus, on average, for city squares the norm can be 100...120 trees and 1000...1200 shrubs per 1 hectare of territory.
Boulevards
Boulevards are linear elements of city landscaping, intended for mass pedestrian traffic, walks and short-term recreation. Depending on the location of the boulevards in the city, their purpose and planning characteristics, there may be: straight and circular boulevards, walking and transit boulevards, coastal boulevards. There are historical boulevards that have a certain cultural and educational value. For example, Unterdenlinden Boulevard in Berlin, Klenovy Boulevard in Leningrad, Primorsky Boulevard in Odessa (Fig. 6). The first boulevards appeared in the 19th century, when European cities began to demolish fortress walls that had fallen into disrepair and interfered with transport connections. This is how the famous Ring in Vienna, the Grand Boulevards in Paris, the Boulevard Ring in Moscow and a number of other cities appeared. Initially, such boulevards were walking alleys with areas for short-term recreation. In the almost complete absence of public gardens, these territories, which became original centers of communication, played an important social role in the formation of morals, customs, and ideas. Paintings by Makovsky, Renoir, Fedotov give a vivid idea of the social role of boulevards in the 19th century.
With the growth of public consciousness and the development of cities, the semantic content of the boulevards also changed. Boulevards appeared, not limited to just a transit alley, but with a developed planning system, fountains, swimming pools, playgrounds for children, shopping kiosks, information showcases, decorative plantings, and monuments. Great development The construction of boulevards began after the Second World War in areas of new buildings, on embankments, in shopping centers, along main transport routes. Boulevards marked the beginning of the division of urban areas into pedestrian and transport zones, the creation of a system of pedestrian and transport communications that do not intersect at the same level, and the emergence of pedestrian streets.
The main elements of boulevards are alleys, paths and platforms, groups and hedges of bushes, lawns and flower beds. Currently in major cities complex systems of boulevards appeared, revealing the planning structure of the city. Such systems can be seen in the centers of Moscow, Kyiv, Yerevan, Kharkov, Tashkent and many other large cities. This is due to their further growth and the gradual transformation of large urban centers into business, representative, shopping, cultural and educational zones.
Rice. 6. Examples of boulevard layouts: a - Primorsky Boulevard (Odessa); b - boulevard on Neglinnaya street (Moscow)
When creating a landscape design for a boulevard, it is necessary to carry out not only an analysis of the natural features of its future territory, but also a functional analysis of all the surrounding structures and urban areas, as well as their future development. Boulevards have long and short sides; they sometimes stretch for several kilometers; they may be adjacent to public gardens, landscaped courtyards, pedestrian streets, and gardens. Therefore, the compositional organization of the boulevard is a rather difficult task. The system of entrances to the boulevard along the long sides plays a certain role in its solution. They are usually installed every 150...250 m, depending on the surrounding urban planning situation, and on streets with heavy traffic - 400...500 m and in conjunction with pedestrian crossings. It is advisable not to make transverse passages through the boulevard, and if necessary, it is better to develop such an intersection into a compositional accent on the boulevard, subordinating the transverse movement to the movement along the boulevard.
Boulevards are located between the roadway and the sidewalk, on one or both sides of the street, primarily depending on its orientation to the cardinal points. Moreover, if the street has a meridional orientation, then the boulevard can be on both sides, and if it is latitudinal, then on one, northern side, since if located on the southern side it will be obscured by buildings.
When the boulevard and roadway are located on both sides in the center of the street, an acoustic study of the profile of its landscaping is necessary in order to avoid amplification of noise from traffic with multiple reflections from the crowns of tall trees. A sound wave cone should be created in the landscaping profile, directed above the buildings adjacent to the boulevard.
Some old boulevards were placed along the axis of the avenue. For example, Boulevard Clichy in Paris, Tsvetnoy Boulevard in Moscow. However, such placement of boulevards does not protect street development from dust and vehicle exhaust gases and is therefore not optimal.
The minimum width of the boulevard is set at 18 m. With such dimensions, one alley 4...7 m wide is arranged along it with areas for short-term recreation, equipped with benches, lamps, canopies, and garbage bins. The boulevard is limited from the rest of the street by a hedge. Vertical zoning may be provided in the street profile with a slight rise or deepening of the boulevard along its entire width.
On boulevards wider than 25 m, additional paths with a width of 1.5...2.5 m can be installed. In this case, the planned layout of the alley and paths can be curvilinear, with a free pattern. On especially wide boulevards, when their transverse dimensions reach several tens of meters, pavilions, sports grounds, separate children's play complexes, cafes, and water facilities are placed on their territories. On such boulevards there can be bicycle paths and, in winter, ski slopes. As an example, we can point to the system of boulevards along the canal (former fortress moat) in Riga, the system of boulevards along the Serpyanka River in Minsk, the system of boulevards along Prince Street in Edinburgh and many others.
The percentage of area occupied by plants and paths on boulevards is standardized. The standards recommend adopting 25...30% for paths and platforms (a larger percentage for smaller boulevards). However, this is not always maintained, as can be seen from Table. 10.3, which presents these relationships for some Ioskovsk boulevards.
The number of tall trees and shrubs planted on boulevards is also regulated. On average, there are 350...400 trees and 3...4 thousand trees per 1 hectare of boulevard. bushes. For northern regions, these standards can be significantly reduced.
In all cases, when creating a green boulevard outfit, in addition to aesthetic qualities, one should strive to achieve the following two points: – isolation of the boulevard’s internal space from noise, dust and gas pollution; – optimal aeration of the boulevard.
Taking into account the heavy load on them from the flow of visitors, it is better to cover the paths and platforms of the boulevard with solid and semi-solid materials. The pattern of the covering elements should significantly reduce its extent, and the color should contrast with the green color of the vegetation. In case of particularly significant flows of visitors, dividing strips can be arranged in one or two modules (0.75... 1.5 m) with breaks. This could be a lawn, a flower garden, or a low trimmed shrub. Lighting devices, sculptural forms, information signs and stands can be installed on the dividing strip.
On wide boulevards located in residential areas, areas for walking pet dogs should be provided. Such areas should have low mesh fencing and a covering that allows for convenient and quick sanitary and hygienic cleaning.
In addition, on such boulevards it is necessary to install bicycle paths that do not intersect with pedestrian alleys, 1.5-2.0 m wide. Their covering can be made of fine compacted gravel. The longitudinal slope of bicycle paths should not exceed 8%. Bicycle parking can be arranged at the entrances to the boulevard.
In hot climatic conditions, shady canopies or pergolas with vertical vegetation can be installed over part of the pedestrian alleys, especially in the intervals between vegetation. Service vehicles should be allowed to enter the boulevard area for mechanized cleaning, replacement of lighting fixtures, trimming of tall vegetation and other housekeeping work.
Pedestrian areas
Currently, in city centers there is a tendency to merge business and recreational routes into so-called pedestrian zones (Fig. 7, a). They have received great development abroad (Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Munich, Vancouver, etc.). Their creation has also begun in our country (Moscow, Riga, Yerevan (Fig. 7, b), Tallinn, Smolensk). Pedestrian zones are considered as a necessary link in the overall chain of reconstruction of existing buildings.
The following types of pedestrian spaces are most typical for urban centers: streets isolated from traffic; streets with limited traffic; single-level pedestrian areas; two-level streets (with vertical separation of the flow of people and transport); covered galleries in complexes of commercial and public buildings; underground pedestrian communications.
Pedestrian areas have certain architectural, landscape and planning features. They differ from ordinary squares in their more complex and varied structure, since in a pedestrian square it is usually impossible to predict a common route for everyone. In addition, squares are often the final destination of a walk, a place for short-term rest.
In pedestrian zones, the movement of people and vehicles is separated. However, such a distinction does not have to be made in the horizontal plane. Projects have been developed to organize streets and squares with a vertical separation of human and traffic flows. This solution is more technically complex, but more convenient and promising. It is preferable to provide the upper (above or underground) level to pedestrians, and the lower (above or underground) level to transport.
An interesting solution was proposed by the architects of Minskproekt. The old street of the Belarusian capital Nemiga becomes a backup for Leninsky Prospekt and significantly relieves it of traffic flows. Since this street will simultaneously play the role shopping center city and will attract masses of pedestrians, a second pedestrian level is being created here. The first four floors of multi-storey buildings are allocated for shops, cafes, cultural institutions, warehouses. The end of the street belongs to the protected area of the city, therefore, it is planned to use motifs of Belarusian folk architecture and folklore in its design and improvement.
Rice. 7. Schemes of pedestrian zones: a - in Stoleshnikov Lane (Moscow); b - on Abovyan street (Yerevan)
A new type of pedestrian space includes an area on artificial foundations-platforms, located above transport junctions and highways. The city, thus, seems to return territories taken away by transport to the disposal of pedestrians. As a rule, pedestrian platforms above transport areas are complex engineering structures, the installation of which entails the reconstruction of adjacent buildings and the street network.
Closed pedestrian spaces (passage streets), for example Petrovsky Passage in Moscow, have great prospects. They are equipped with air conditioning and often include landscaping elements. According to the project for the reconstruction of Stoleshnikov Lane, it is planned to create a covered passage connecting Petrovka and Pushkinskaya streets. Stoleshnikov Lane itself will be expanded with pedestrian arcades that will connect it at several points with the passage*. This solution allows us to preserve the traditional character of a busy Moscow side street. At the same time, the pedestrian space is enriched by connecting a number of small internal spaces to the central axis of movement. The appearance of Stoleshnikov Lane will be emphasized by window awnings, restored facade decorations, paving, etc. In the future, this pedestrian system will be developed throughout the intra-block spaces and towards Sverdlov Square.
The most important means of creating pedestrian urban spaces, creating comfort and a favorable biological environment, is architectural and landscape design. This term refers to the entire objective world of street space, green spaces, the shape of lamps, sculpture, furniture, advertising installations, canopies, fences, tree trunks, kiosks, etc. The right choice material, shape, style of all design elements gives the space an individual look, distinguishes it from the surrounding urban development.
A characteristic compositional technique for organizing urban spaces is the use of various types of paving. With their help, you can mark the main direction of movement, warn the pedestrian about danger, emphasize special meaning architectural structure. By using different types of paving, you can reduce or increase the scale of the space (for example, large concrete slabs visually compress it, and paving stones seem to push it apart). The covering also emphasizes the splendor or intimacy of the space. In this case, such characteristics of paving as color, texture, size of elements and their pattern, the predominance of artificial or natural material, and a combination of different materials play an important role.
Decorative sculpture and fountains are increasingly being used in the design of pedestrian spaces. By size sculptural compositions do less than in squares (taking into account the possibility of viewing at close range). In water and decorative complexes in new interpretation Traditional means of landscape architecture are used - waterfalls, water mirrors, jet diffusers, cascade stairs, etc.
We have already talked about the role of green spaces in cities. Here we will only add that plants on a pedestrian street are inseparable from other landscaping elements. A single method of planting vegetation along the entire length of the street can unite its diverse and random development, while contrasting methods can divide a single space into separate parts. One of the new trends in landscaping pedestrian space is to reduce the total number of trees, but each plant is treated as a living sculpture, a natural exhibit around which other landscaping elements are organized. A specific landscaping technique is to raise the level of vegetation by 0.3 ... 1 m above the pedestrian space. Mobile gardening in mobile containers and concrete containers is also widely used.
Embankments
Embankments are space-planning complexes near water bodies, occupying large urban areas. They are directly related to urban development and water areas. The embankment complex includes public facilities, residential buildings, natural or artificially created coastal landscape, as well as underground and surface engineering structures, communications and equipment.
The role of each component in the formation of the embankment ensemble is different. A specific combination of them can create an endless variety of space-planning solutions for embankments. In this case, along with the hydrological characteristics of the reservoir, the natural-climatic and soil-geological conditions of the area are of great importance.
The architectural and landscape components of the embankment include:
– hydraulic structures near the water with elements of the coastal waters (piers, piers, breakwaters, islands);
– embankment terraces from the regulation line to the red building line or to the coastal slope;
– structures on embankment terraces and on the water;
– coastal slope, if any, or the front of adjacent urban development;
– landscaping and elements of engineering equipment.
Rice. 8. Types of thin retaining walls on embankments: a - anchorless; 6 - anchored by rods to slabs working under pressure; c - the same, for shear; g - anchored by rods to pile gantry supports; d - the same, for vertical piles; e - anchored with inclined piles; g - two-anchor continuous; h - split two-anchor; and - sailing
The most critical component is the hydraulic structures near the water and, above all, the hydraulic retaining walls. They largely define the facade of the embankment from the river. In this case, the profile of such walls can be: sloped, semi-sloped, vertical (Fig. 8). Their aesthetic characteristics are not equivalent. Thus, the large concrete surfaces of the slopes do not at all decorate the city. This element looks much better in the form of a vertical wall. In addition, with a vertical wall, it is easier to make various divisions along the embankment, which diversify the cordon (regulatory line) and create its characteristic outline in plan, thereby organizing the coastal space of the water area. The cordon may not have enclosing structures. This is quite acceptable when using the embankment as a recreation area. In this case, part of the embankment near the water area is usually used as a beach. This solution is also acceptable where the embankment area is protected from the eroding action of water.
The next component of the embankment is its terraces, that is, the territory from the cordon line to the building line or the base of the coastal slope. Their layout and profile are determined by the functional purpose of the embankment (Fig. 10.9). In turn, the functional purpose of terraces can be limited by their absolute size. These dimensions do not always depend on the design, since on the one hand there may be capital development of the city, and on the other, a towpath, the position of which is largely determined by the depths of the river bed near the shore. There are also embankments on which there are no terraces and the front of urban development is combined with a hydraulic wall.
Rice. 9. Profiles of green embankments: Leningrad: a, b - Obvodny Canal embankment; c - Admiralteyskaya embankment; g - Kommunarov Boulevard; Moscow: d - Kremlin embankment; e - Frunzenskaya embankment
The front of the adjacent urban development is of decisive importance for the architecture of the embankment (Fig. 10). It can be designed in the form of a dense structure of multi-storey buildings (as on the Frunzenskaya embankment in Moscow) or terraced down to the embankment in the form of separate complexes, the gaps between which allow fresh wind from the water area to freely penetrate into the building. The development front can consist of extended and point volumes, alternating with each other as is done in Omsk, of individual multi-storey buildings located in a certain rhythm along the coast against the background of lower extended buildings. Finally, development can be done in the form of separate groups of point buildings, freely oriented relative to the embankment, as in Donetsk.
From the city side, the embankment can be limited by a high coastal slope, as, for example, in Nizhny Novgorod. Here, the landslide nature of the slope does not allow any buildings to be placed on it, and it stretches for many kilometers in the form of a high green strip, being the main component in the architectural ensemble of the embankment.
The next architectural component of embankments are various structures - above-ground, on water and underground. Ground-based structures are located on the embankment terraces and its slopes. Piers, snow dumps, float restaurants, etc. are located on the water. Underground structures (for example, water intake devices, water outlets, transport tunnels, etc.) are built in the thickness of coastal slopes and terraces, pass through coastal slopes, and enter the water area.
Coastal slopes are characterized by viewing platforms, gazebos, terraces - shopping pavilions, visual propaganda stands, pavilions at transport stops, etc. On the coastal slopes there are drainage adits, ramps on stands, pedestrian bridge crossings, etc. (Fig. . 11…14).
Rice. 10. An example of a solution for a community center in a village on the embankment. Project
Rice. 11. Descent with a turn on the embankment in the recreation area at the mouth of the river. Kachi (Krasnoyarsk). Project. Arkhsh M. F. Denisov
Rice. 12. Descent from the high bank (Yaroslavl). Project
Rice. 13. Boat pier at the retaining wall of the embankment (Kaliningrad)
Rice. 14. Parapets: a - Yaroslavl; b - Kaliningrad; c - Leningrad; g - Krasnoyarsk
One of the essential components of embankments is their improvement. Improvement of embankments is a capacious concept. It consists of several elements. This includes, first of all, engineering preparation of the territory! ries and design of engineering equipment. In addition, landscaping includes other details that create a comfortable environment, such as recreation areas, borders, mosaic panels, etc.
All components of the embankment parts are connected with each other not only aesthetically, but also functionally. Without well-organized engineering equipment (water irrigation, storm drains), normal development of landscaping is impossible. Small architectural and hydraulic forms without landscaping cannot create a comfortable environment; engineering preparation is carried out for specifically planned landscaping, paths, and small forms.
In turn, the solution for landscaping as a whole is closely related to other elements of the embankment, for example, the functional purpose and size of the terraces. Both landscaping and engineering equipment depend on this data. So, on a narrow terrace there is no point in installing tall lamps; it is better to install floor lamps. When placed on the upper terrace of roads, the landscaping composition of the embankment should take into account the linear nature of the layout. The size of the terraces depends on how the slopes of the embankment near the water are solved.
The nature of the location of urban structures approaching it also has a great influence on the architectural interpretation of the components of the embankment. If they terrace down to the river, then the embankment area should be an organic continuation of them, i.e., also have terraces. If they form a multi-story dense structure that emphasizes movement along the coast, then the architectural and planning solution of the embankment should take this movement into account. This can be achieved by a wide, calm rhythm of division of the parapet, rhythmic planting of tall trees, etc.
When point multi-storey buildings overlook the embankment, the coastal slope should serve as a unifying base for the development, like a podium, in which narrow direct ramps to the water can be cut. Thus, the composition of the embankment as a whole is determined by the interaction of its components.
It should be noted that individual components of the embankment have different service lives. Thus, hydraulic retaining walls can be designed for a long service life; the same must be kept in mind regarding capital construction near embankments. As for landscaping and engineering equipment, their service life may be much shorter.
Issues of landscape design of embankments are well illustrated by the classification of embankments. Let us note the following of them: structural, hydraulic, construction, functional, geographical, urban planning, historical. Each direction is characterized by certain ideas about embankments.
The structural direction differentiates the embankments: – with a vertical hydraulic retaining wall (Fig. 10.15); slope embankments; semi-slope embankments; rock-fill embankments (blocks, tetropods, etc., Fig. 16).
The hydraulic engineering direction in the classification of embankments approaches their definition from the position of the hydraulic technical regime of the reservoir: flooded and non-flooded.
The construction direction in the classification of embankments is based on the specifics of construction, installation and hydraulic works during their creation. According to this classification, they distinguish: single-tier, two-tier and multi-tier embankments. At the same time, a number of tiers of the embankment can be underground. Thus, in Genoa there is an embankment with four underground tiers, which house transport tunnels, utilities, retail establishments, and warehouses.
Rice. 15. Profile of the vertical wall of the embankment (Semipalatinsk): 1 - slates; 2 - drainage; 3- drainage pipe; 4 - crushed stone base; 5 - channel; 6 - concrete blocks; 7 - sidewalk; 8 - side stone
The functional direction in the classification of embankments is the most common. According to this classification, embankments are distinguished: recreational areas, pedestrian, transport, residential and public buildings, industrial, berths. When the embankment is used multifunctionally, it belongs to the predominant function.
According to urban planning classification, embankments are divided into central, peripheral, park, and port.
Among other classifications, there is also a geographical one, which divides embankments into: ocean, sea, lake, river, pond, i.e., according to the nature of the body of water on which the embankment is located.
In the landscape design of embankments, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors constantly affecting these regional urban areas. Among them highest value have factors: natural, environmental, socio-demographic, functional, structural. These factors largely determine the aesthetic level of architectural and landscape solutions. Among these factors, the functional factor plays an important role in the architectural and landscape organization of embankments. The organization of the embankment territory is carried out using the principle of transverse and longitudinal functional zoning. The nature of the functional zoning of embankments is influenced by urban planning and natural-climatic phenomena.
The zoning of the embankment in the longitudinal direction depends mainly on the structure and purpose of the urban areas adjacent to it, and in the transverse direction - on its multi-purpose purpose, the nature of the use of the fairway of the water area, the cross-sectional dimensions of the embankment itself, etc. Phenomena affecting the functional zoning of the embankment , can be divided into two groups: relatively permanent and temporary. The first includes the landscape, existing buildings, hydrology of the reservoir, climate, landscaping, geography of the city’s water network; the second - the hydrology of unregulated water areas, long-term plan development of the city territory near water bodies, which, naturally, can change, etc. The boundaries of the zones must be specified in the task for landscape design.
Rice. 10.16. Bank protection made of tetrapods: 1 - masonry made of tetrapods weighing 7.5 tons; 2 - sketch of tetrapods weighing 1.5 tons; 3 - stone size 30...35 cm; 4 - single-layer return filter; 5 - fine-grained sand; 7 - alluvium of the slope behind the wall; 7 - fastening with precast concrete
Zoning along the length of the embankment provides for the possibility of through passage and passage along it. Structures that are not subject to demolition or removal may be located along the embankment. In this case, the assignment specifies measures to circumvent these obstacles in the project.
The functional zoning of the embankment along its width determines its profile. Currently, to identify such zones, it is possible to use altitudinal differentiation of the embankment profile (Fig. 17). In the form of bowling greens or terraces, a local lowering of a section of the embankment is carried out for a particular zone. This was done in a number of places on the embankment of the right bank of the Dnieper in Dnepropetrovsk. When carrying out transverse zoning, one should not lose sight of the provision (as a result of the vertical layout of the embankment) with its mechanized cleaning and fire-prevention ramps to the water. If the embankment is not wide enough, despite its multi-purpose purpose, it should not be zoned in the transverse direction. This can reduce its scale and lead to unnecessary expenses. It is best to move the landscaping of the embankment beyond the red line into the development, thus including the adjacent territory in the structure of the embankment.
Modern embankments form complex systems in the city, of which the following should be noted: linear, point, figured.
Linear systems are the most common. They consist of a series of embankments following each other, without, however, creating any closed contour in the structure of the city. Such systems can be rectilinear, for example, along a canal, a straight river bed, or have a freely defined curvilinear outline that goes around the bends and meanders of rivers, the outlines of bays and bays. Available linear systems, combining both characteristics with the location of embankments, for example, on rivers, sometimes on one bank, sometimes on the other, etc. All this creates a variety of linear systems.
Point systems are no less diverse. They can also be located on one bank or on both banks. Point embankments are those embankments in which the transverse profile is close to their length along the reservoir. Such embankments include, for example, the embankments of many resort institutions scattered along the sea coast.
Rice. 17. Examples of solving the embankment profile depending on the height of the bank
Figured systems are even more diverse than linear and point systems. Such a system may consist of one figure, for example, around big island, or from several figures when there is an archipelago of islands. Such systems and the embankments included in them, encircling the shores of closed bodies of water: a large pond, a lake, require a special solution. In this case, the visual connections of coastal areas are defined much more broadly and it is necessary to take into account a much larger urban area that affects the architectural design of the embankments, and consequently, the task of creating a full-fledged architectural and landscape ensemble is more difficult to solve.
All noted embankment systems in large cities can be found in various combinations and be formed into a city-wide complex of embankments. Such formations can consist of systems of different types, as well as several unambiguous systems. Unlike embankment systems, in which individual embankments are connected visually, embankment systems included in a city-wide complex are mainly connected only by memory, ideas, time, what is defined as the fourth dimension of architecture. Therefore, to determine such phenomena as a city-wide complex of embankments, landscape design requires taking into account the city’s infrastructure, its land and water transport, as well as identifying possible viewpoints dominating the city.
Landscape design of city-wide embankment complexes forms the architectural image of the city. Such design puts in the hands of the urban planner a powerful tool with which one can literally sculpturally sculpt the individual face of the city, creating accents where nature itself has outlined them. At the same time, the requirements of urban planning economics will also be met. After all, rationality decisions made on the functional zoning and infrastructure of the city cannot be achieved without comprehensive consideration of the features of its natural environment.
- Squares, boulevards, pedestrian areas, embankments
Many people think that creating an unusual landscape design for a public garden in their summer cottage is easy. In fact, this process requires a lot of planning, careful selection of plants and small forms for architecture. But first you need to choose the style that you want to have in your garden.
Unusual style of the park
| Varieties | Features of the parks |
| Park of Culture | is a green area with convenient conditions for a good time, where you can hold various events. About 50% of the park is covered by green spaces, the remaining percentage is the area that is used for various attractions. |
| Exhibition Park | is a place for pavilions and various areas. Approximately 35% of the territory here is reserved for park vegetation. |
| Botanical | It is a place where you can spend your holidays and take a walk, as well as an area for carrying out research in the field of floristic development. |
| Forest park | is a forested area with a huge number of establishments intended for visitors. More coniferous varieties of shrubs and trees are planted here. The area for the park is a place that is located on the outskirts of reservoirs. |
| Historical park | usually created in order to introduce citizens to monuments, as you can see in the photo below. |
Table of types of parks and their features.
Choosing a style for arranging a park
The landscape design of the park can be created in Japanese, classical or country, modern and other stylistic directions. You need to take into account both your preferences and the appearance of structures and other buildings that already exist on the site.
Let's look at the most popular styles of park design today:
- Garden in Japanese style
Today, oriental motifs are in increasing demand when decorating garden areas. Such areas are usually created in small areas, while correctly connecting the elements of water with the world of vegetation. An excellent area for such a park is a hilly area, however, a flat landscape is also useful. In the center of such a garden there is a small pond, which is surrounded on all sides by various stones combined with coniferous vegetation. Bridges, for example, fit perfectly into such a site. Under no circumstances should flowering plant varieties be planted here. Pines, junipers and other conifers should be planted in the central part of the composition. Such a landscape design also needs to be complemented by a seething waterfall.
- The Provence style is always characterized by features of aristocracy
In this stylistic direction of the garden, simplicity and elegance in the design of each of the details, the unusual charm of the province and the use in its creation are valued natural materials. The main “inhabitants” of such a garden plot are geraniums, deciduous varieties of plantings, and many climbing plants that hide the windows and gazebo area. Table sets with unusual forged elements will fit perfectly into such an area. For garden decoration in this stylistic direction, blue, blue or purple colors. They have an unusual ability to calm down, so in such an area you can fully relax. In most cases, such a garden is decorated with various herbs. Near the walls of the buildings, near the entrance, in all cases there are pots in which flowering plants are planted.
Garden decor
- Modern stylistic direction in garden design
When creating a garden in this style, you must adhere to certain lines and minimalism in any details. There should be excellent lawns, clearly delimiting asymmetrical flower beds. The main thing is to leave as much free space as possible and use complex plant compositions as little as possible. The best solution for decorating such an area is mixborders. Such a garden must definitely be decorated with vines. The most acceptable colors in this style of garden are yellow, green and many other shades of colors.
- Landscape design in the country style requires minimal decor
The territory in a similar stylistic design is a comfortable courtyard in the village, which is decorated with a huge number of flowers and wicker fences. This style uses decorative elements such as a wooden bench or a fence. The main rule when designing this style is environmental friendliness.
The main nuances when arranging a park
When you have already decided which style to choose for your park, all that remains is to purchase materials and begin arranging the territory. Let's consider the main nuances that you need to pay attention to first when designing a park:
- The garden landscaping project must take into account the stylistic direction when decorating buildings and other structures so that they complement each other and look like a single whole.
- It is better to lay out paths on the territory, and also work on a lighting system. All paths should lead to some territory or continue a section of the walk around all the surroundings of the park.
- It is also worth remembering to combine plants and trees.
- Also, pay special attention to small architectural ensembles. And here we are talking not only about gazebos, but also about small sculptures, vases made of stones, decorative fences, benches in the corner of the park and much more.
- It is necessary to plant plants comfortably near the trees. In some cases, small rock gardens are alternated with flower beds of different flowers; it is important to take into account the rules for planting flower beds.
- The square is mainly a place for walking and admiring the scenery. The paths do not need to be cut off immediately, but should be taken further, and completely different areas will open up.
- The landscape decor of the site assumes a certain rhythm. The garden design should be alive. The square should come to life, and not create a depressing impression with its dead silence.
Lighting in the park
The landscape decor of the park involves the use of rather complex forms both in the layout and in its execution. There are a huge number of difficulties in such a design, however, and many tricks, based on which you can effectively beat even an area of a couple of square meters.
Use of hedges
The landscape decor of the site also involves the use of such design nuances as hedges, which ideally complement it. In public gardens, such fences can be created at different heights. Thus, for example, if this is a temporary fence, then you can use large shrubs that are planted at a distance of approximately 35 centimeters from one another. With the help of such plantings you can hide ugly fences or a blank wall of a building.
The main thing when greening streets is to separate the building from pedestrian and road areas using green stripes. By forming a “quiet area”, you can use “walls of greenery”, which serve as “shields”, while protecting people in the park from dust, noise and dirt. If you use shade-tolerant varieties of shrubs when landscaping, then thickening is possible up to two meters.
Plants should be planted either individually, for example, between trees, or in groups. Groups of trees and shrubs must be created taking into account their biological characteristics. In addition, it is important to take into account the predisposition of plants to grow in certain areas.
Stairs in the garden
The main thing is the environmental friendliness of the plantings. If they are planted in areas with large crowds of people, they should not cause allergies. Thus, for example, if these are female varieties of poplar, which quite often cause an allergic reaction when flowering, then there is no need to plant them in parks and near houses. When creating hedges in areas of public importance, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of vegetation for the illumination of the territory.
Flowerbeds and plants in parks
In small squares, planting can generally be done either near roads or alleys. The landscape design of larger parks involves zoning specially equipped areas for a full-fledged recreation, where you can create a ground floor with paths and a ridge. Important point– their layout should be expressive and consistent with the entire layout and style of the park.
The design of flower arrangements should correspond to individual areas. In public gardens, plantings do not need to be allocated more than 50% of the lawn area. And light plantings of vegetation using about 3 flower crops will make a most pleasant impression.
For flower beds and edgings, an excellent solution would be flowers that have a maximum flowering period. An important point is that ornamental vegetation and flowering plants must be compatible in height. Plants that grow more than several meters in height should be located so that they do not shade low-growing varieties of shrubs and trees. Therefore, quite often they are planted in the central part of the flowerbed, and low-growing ones in the corners.
The best option for landscaping areas in the city center are shrubs and trees. Vegetation varieties are selected taking into account their sanitary and hygienic characteristics and efficiency from an economic point of view.
Let's look at the main plants that will decorate the landscape design of public gardens:
- deciduous trees, for example, white poplar;
- coniferous trees, such as Serbian spruce;
- deciduous varieties of shrubs, for example, golden currant.
Also, for the vegetation of the park, you can select different varieties of shrubs and trees that combine perfectly with each other. Basically, the landscape design of such squares involves planting plants near monuments. When choosing plants for a public garden, you need to take into account that the plants correspond to the architectural trends and features of the building.
The growth and flowering of vegetation depends on the composition of the soil and the illumination of the area, so these features of the territory must be taken into account when arranging it. You also need to take into account the speed of vegetation growth. Separately, it should be noted that coniferous trees and shrubs are considered a beautiful addition to any garden design, especially in winter.
Parks, squares, alleys, boulevards - all of them are favorite vacation spots for citizens who are tired of endless streams of cars, street noise and bustle. However, not each of us will be able to clearly answer the question of how a park differs from a public garden. Let's try to find out the main differences between these concepts.
Square– a landscaped landscaped area inside an industrial or residential building.
Comparison
The square, as well as the park, is an object of landscaping in the city. It is a plot of land, the size of which in most cases does not exceed two hectares. Squares are often located at street intersections, squares, or in residential areas. Their layout usually includes platforms, flower beds, paths, lawns, and separate groups of bushes and trees. These are unique oases within the city, intended for short-term recreation. The so-called aesthetic center of the square is decorated with sculptures or a fountain. This is a great place for walks with children and a momentary rest while moving around the city.
Parks occupy an impressive territory - often their size reaches 10 hectares - and represent entire architectural and landscape objects. In addition to green spaces, alleys, landscaped paths, benches and gazebos, the park implies the presence of various elements of artistic design. These include monuments, fountains, sculptures, etc.
Square named after Ermakova in Murom
Parks can be divided into types according to their purpose. Amusement parks are replete with all kinds of entertainment elements, swings and carousels. Sports parks are equipped with obstacle courses and sports equipment. There are also memorial parks and museum parks created in honor of certain historical events. Culture and recreation parks can combine all of the above elements.
Conclusions website
- The park has a much larger area than the square.
- The park is located on a separate area, while the square is located within the city.
- The square is intended for short-term relaxation; you can spend a whole day walking in the park.
- Parks can be divided into types according to their purpose: amusement parks, sports or memorial parks, etc.
City squares are small (0.15-2.0 hectares) green areas intended for short-term recreation or artistic and decorative decoration of city squares, streets, public and administrative buildings, and monuments.
Based on their location in urban development, there are public gardens near public buildings, in the administrative and public center of the city, near architectural monuments, near transport facilities (at transport sites and interchanges), in residential areas, near sculptural and monumental objects; by main function - memorial, decorative, exhibition, transit, information, historical and architectural, musical, gaming, etc.
The expressiveness of the architectural and spatial composition of the city square is achieved by highlighting one of the landscape elements as the leading one.
The main element of the park composition, as a rule, is a central platform with a sculpture, a fountain, a flower or lawn parterre, and an architectural structure.
When constructing public gardens in these cases, the façade and central entrance are revealed.
The architectural and planning solution, size, configuration and landscaping of public gardens are determined by the nature of the surrounding buildings, the location of adjacent passages, and the direction of pedestrian flows.
If the park is located on a square or near main streets with large pedestrian traffic, the position of the paths is determined by the direction of the transit flow: they are isolated from recreation areas and cross the park along the shortest route(diagonally, crosswise, freely). In the case of placing a monument or monumental structure in a park, the composition is traditionally subordinated to identifying the architecture of the building or revealing the artistic content of the monument.
Many squares provide transit traffic for pedestrians. At the same time, the width of pedestrian alleys ranges from 4 to 6 m, secondary alleys 1.5-4.0 m. Their organization is decided by regular forms of planning.
The balance of the territory of public gardens, different in functional orientation and planning structure, is presented in %% ratio as follows: paths and platforms 15-25%; plantings 75-85%, incl. floral 0.5-2.0%.
Open or parterre squares are decorated with shrubs, trees, flower beds and lawns in combination with small architectural forms - benches, canopies, sculptures, beautiful fences. Decorative ponds or fountains with low water consumption can be installed. The basis of such a park is a green lawn, cut through a network of paths, combined with row planting or planting of groups of ornamental or fruit trees, the small height of which allows you to maintain the open nature of the space.
The use of tall tree species, on the contrary, makes it possible to give the park a closed character, which, according to visitors, seems to distinguish it from the surrounding urban environment and at the same time well shades the recreation areas.
The choice of one or another spatial technique, as well as the layout of the park, the direction and width of the paths, the location of design elements, as emphasized above, is dictated by the nature of the environment, the location of buildings, the direction of pedestrian traffic, the purpose of the park, etc.
When parks are located near transport highways, strips of protective plantings are created from dense hedges, row plantings of trees, and, if necessary, special noise-protective walls.
The landscaping of public gardens located on transport areas and interchanges (without access to visitors or with transit paths) is subject to the task of street safety and is solved in free groups with a predominance of lawns and row plantings, emphasizing the main direction of pedestrian flows. Trees and shrubs must be not only decorative, but also gas-resistant.
Features of landscaping children's playgrounds
To provide children, who make up about a quarter of the total population, with healthy conditions in the fresh air, proper physical development and reasonable leisure time, children's playgrounds are provided on the territory of city recreational facilities. They become especially important in big cities, where children are cut off from nature. There is a need to create playgrounds that could, to some extent, replace nature for children. Therefore, green areas intended for these purposes occupy a significant place in the overall balance of green spaces in a park or square.
The landscaping of children's playgrounds and the nature of the placement of green spaces must correspond to the general planning solution of the facility.
Children should be able to play and run on lawns, have access to plants, and learn how to care for them.
On playgrounds, tall trees planted from the direction of the prevailing wind provide a good windbreak; trees located in the southern part of the site create the necessary shade. It is not recommended, however, to plant tall trees around the entire perimeter, and especially throughout the entire territory of the playground, as this will cause a decrease in insolation and ventilation.
Trees and shrubs are placed around the site so that one part of the site is in the shade, and the other is illuminated by the sun most of the day. Groups of trees and shrubs located on the territory of the site serve to divide it into several independent areas used for games of different nature. For new plantings or reconstruction of old ones, trees that provide a light transparent shadow are used - birch, rowan, ash; for complete shading - trees with a dense crown - Norway maple, linden, Bezolinsky poplar, and shrubs - cotoneaster, lilac, Japanese spirea. Planting them near splashing pools and sandboxes is undesirable, since they clog the water and sand with falling leaves.
For landscaping children's playgrounds, it is undesirable to use shrubs with low flowers - children pick them off, and as a result, the shrubs develop more slowly. More suitable are shrubs whose flowers are located high and inaccessible to children, for example, lilac. For the same reasons, trees with abundant fruits are of little use for planting in playgrounds. Planting shrubs with poisonous berries (foxglove, bompolov, buttercups, buckthorn, euonymus, elderberry) is unacceptable.
To create a hedge that is impenetrable to children, shrubs with thorns can be taken - rose hips, park roses, hawthorn, but subject to the simultaneous planting of shrubs without thorns on the side of the site.
Flowers are also unsuitable for planting on children's playgrounds; children pick them off.
Plants that are most resistant to breakage should be planted around playgrounds.
For landscaping places where children stay for a long time, phytoncidal plants are especially valuable, helping to purify the air from pathogenic bacteria, as well as plants that intensively ionize the air (Siberian fir, junipers, bird cherry, vinegar tree, purple leaf maple, hazel, linden, etc.).
The area of children's playgrounds depending on the volume of the park or any other green facility may vary and is determined by its location, the number of potential visitors and other reasons. But in any case, they are distinguished by a wide (up to 60-85%) participation of green spaces. Shrubs play a dominant role in the structure of these plantings. The share of paths and playgrounds of various surfaces accounts for up to 10-30% of the total area of the playground. Reservoirs occupy up to 5-10% in the case of their construction.
Garden landscapes
A garden is a collection of cultures of selected ornamental plants in combination with other plants or objects that highlight the most outstanding decorative qualities of these plants. In a garden, everything is subordinated to culture, to the display of an individual plant or a separate variety, variety or species of plants, while in a park the landscape, the beauty of the overall picture of nature, comes first. No matter how vast the area of any botanical garden, it still remains a garden, not a park, because its main purpose is to study and demonstrate the most important beneficial properties of various types of plants, incl. exotic
A huge variety of varieties of some of the most popular crops in ornamental horticulture, landscape gardening has taken the path of creating special gardens, specialized in the culture of certain ornamental plants, monoculture gardens. This is how special gardens of roses, lilacs, jasmines, irises, peonies, phlox, lilies and other ornamental plants were created.
Many of the garden varieties, due to the long-term influence of garden culture on them, have changed their natural appearance so much that they are no longer consistent with garden landscapes created based on natural motives.
New plants require an environment in which the role of man and his influence are clearly expressed and where the specificity of the garden and garden culture is felt by visitors.
We classify such forms of landscapes as so-called garden landscapes. This primarily includes decorative gardens of fruit trees, special monoculture gardens, rose gardens, syringaria, gardens of lilies and other plant species, special gardens adapted to display the flora of a certain growing season - spring, summer, autumn and experimental, collection gardens of ornamental trees and shrubs, water gardens, rock gardens and other highly specialized garden devices.
Characteristic feature garden landscapes is a geometric layout of the territory, providing the possibility of the best implementation of agrotechnical measures necessary for the successful growth of the culture of these plants, and a clear distribution of individual varieties and varieties on the territory, allowing a more complete assessment of the merits of each plant variety.
Fruit orchards have long been valued not only for their beautiful fruits, but also for their exceptional beauty during flowering and fruiting, for the beauty of their crown, formed by the skillful hand of the gardener. Some peoples celebrate the flowering of fruit trees as a big holiday.
Fruit orchards should be the most essential part of the green areas created around major cities. For their full development, fruit trees and berry bushes require an appropriate system for distributing trees over an area and the use of a certain set of agrotechnical measures. Practice has established that the square or checkerboard arrangement of trees allows each specimen to freely develop its crown in all directions and ensures the mechanization of labor-intensive processes.
The garden with trellis-like forms of fruit trees supported by frames and protective walls constitutes an entire architectural structure and is distinguished by its unique beauty both during flowering and during fruiting.
Ornamental gardening has developed many special decorative forms of fruit trees, distinguished by the special brightness of the color of the flowers, their doubleness, lush and abundant flowering, decorativeness and abundance of fruits, the unique structure of the crown and the color of the leaves. Ornamental varieties of apple trees, pears, cherries, cherries, apricots, peaches and some other fruit trees can be formed into special decorative gardens.
Among monoculture gardens, rose gardens, or rose gardens, are the most popular. They are organized in all the best parks in the country.
The concentration in a certain area of a garden or park of a large number of forms of the same type of plants increases the colorfulness of a given landscape, and the unity of the layout, together with the unity of the building material itself, creates decorative effects of great strength and expressiveness. This is probably why rose gardens, or rose gardens, are very popular.
The layout of rose gardens should emphasize the splendor and beauty of this long-loved flower and at the same time provide the possibility of using high-tech agricultural technology. Typically, the rose garden is given simple, rectangular shapes, which makes it possible to mechanize soil cultivation, fertilization, and pest control measures. They create conditions for constructing complex shelters for the winter and provide better inspection of numerous varieties in groups.
Rose loves sheltered, warm places. The wind can break its stems, it ruffles buds and flowers, and this significantly reduces the decorative value of roses. Therefore, for rose gardens, places protected from the wind with highly fertile soil should be chosen, or such conditions should be created. Good protection for a rose garden are high, dense green walls made of coniferous trees: spruce, juniper, thuja, cypress, etc. In addition to protection, such walls provide an excellent backdrop for brightly blooming rose bushes.
The culture of climbing, climbing and standard roses requires the installation of special supports. Therefore, rose gardens are almost always used in landscapes. architectural elements small forms: pergolas, gazebos, colonnades, trellises, and at key compositional points they are joined by sculpture, which often brings the landscape of the rose garden closer to a regular landscape.
Almost as popular as the rose garden are lilac gardens, or silingarias.
Like rose gardens and silingariums, monoculture gardens of other types of ornamental plants can be arranged in gardens and parks.
The main goal of arranging these gardens is not only to show the best decorative qualities of certain plants, but also to achieve their best decorative combinations. The centuries-old experience of decorative gardening shows that when combining garden plants, the greatest harmony is achieved when forming from them your own special garden landscape.
In general, the city garden is structural element systems of green areas of the city, performing recreational and architectural and artistic functions. Its importance is especially great in densely built-up areas of the city, where there is a shortage of green spaces. Depending on the location in the city plan, there are: gardens near public and cultural and educational buildings, structures, monuments, gardens for relaxation and walking, exhibition gardens, roof gardens, etc.
A detailed classification of urban gardens, their placement in the city plan, planning structure and organization of the landscape is given on pp. 154-155 of the Architect's Quick Guide. Kyiv, 1990
Depending on the functional purpose of the garden, natural, urban planning and other conditions, the ratio of the elements of its territory is different.
Approximate balance of the territory of urban gardens (%%)
Mass distribution received gardens for short-term recreation and walks. Their architectural and planning solution, as a rule, reflects the urban planning conditions of the location area. Such gardens perform two main functions - they provide short-term recreation and transit traffic for pedestrians. Located in urban areas and adjacent to city highways, gardens for short-term recreation have an open planning structure that ensures the organization of equivalent entrance nodes, the arrangement of pedestrian alleys for various purposes and a diverse grouping of plantings, the placement of structures and small architectural forms.
The methods of planning such gardens are most often regular, and sometimes free.
Gardens at cultural and administrative institutions have also become widespread in the development of modern cities. Their recreational function remains, but the architectural and planning composition is subordinated or linked to the architectural structures that they complement.
The architectural and landscape composition of urban gardens near public buildings, as a rule, has an individual character.
The architectural and landscape environment of representative gardens using a combination of natural elements - relief, water, plantings - creates grandeur.
City gardens are designed for mass visits. Therefore, their planning organization includes large paving areas, a significant amount of garden furniture and equipment, and engineering improvements. It meets the needs of a modern city and at the same time requires taking into account the problems that arise in a big city.
In urban gardens, the size of which does not exceed 10 hectares, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain an environment isolated from external influences: their space is dominated by the surrounding large structures. That's why current problem Most gardens in large cities - the need to isolate internal spaces from the negative influence of the external environment. Gardens surrounded by multi-storey buildings are characterized by the traditional method of organizing open space in the central part, surrounded by dense tracts of tall woody vegetation, which, however, is not interpreted as an ordinary monotonous planting, but is created according to the principles of diversity due to indentations and edges.
Gardens adjacent to transport routes require the organization of a peripheral protective belt. The main recreation areas are located deep in the green area. Protection is organized not only with the help of plantings, but also with the use of special protective devices, differences in relief, and shielding buildings.
Planning of gardens of residential neighborhoods
A microdistrict is the primary link of a residential area, in which from 8 to 12 thousand residents live. The layout of the microdistrict is based on the placement of residential buildings that is appropriate for insolation conditions and the system of daily services for the population of the microdistrict.
They provide all the necessary cultural, educational, educational and economic services, grounds and facilities for sports and recreation, and a neighborhood garden.
The microdistrict landscaping system consists of a microdistrict garden, landscaping of areas of residential buildings, landscaping of areas of children's institutions and schools, pedestrian paths and protective strips along the streets adjacent to the microdistrict.
Practice has shown that it is most effective in terms of planning to place a neighborhood garden, sports facilities, school sites and areas of children's institutions adjacent to one complex.
A microdistrict garden is a green area within a microdistrict, used by the population of the district for everyday recreation. It is the main element in the landscaping system of the neighborhood. The microdistrict garden differs from ordinary city squares, gardens and parks in that the layout and green spaces organically merge with the green spaces of the residential area and the architecture of the surrounding buildings.
The area of a microdistrict garden is calculated at the rate of 3-3.5 m2 per inhabitant, which would be 3-3.5 hectares for a microdistrict of 10,000 residents.
A neighborhood garden is usually located in the center of a neighborhood.
The correct solution to landscaping issues can only be achieved if the functional purpose is clearly defined.
The functional purpose of a microdistrict garden is to serve as a place for everyday walks, recreation, and games for the population living in a given microdistrict. Its entire layout and composition of space should be subordinated to these tasks. The best place A different type of recreation is the edge of the sunny meadow and the meadow itself. Therefore, the basis of the layout of the microdistrict garden is made up of walking routes, and the overall composition should represent a central clearing framed by green spaces of a free configuration.
However, this framing should not be considered as a dense isolating strip of greenery. There are no transport routes directly adjacent to the microdistrict garden and there is no need for such isolation. On the contrary, from the territory of the microdistrict garden, prospects for neighboring areas of the residential area can be revealed.
The walking route should be of sufficient length, protected from overheating by the sun's rays and from cold winds, and sufficiently decorative.
The greatest length of a walking route is obtained if it represents a closed circular route passing along the border between the strip of plantings framing the garden and the central open clearing.
Each section of this route must be thought out in terms of its functional use for recreation, in relation to the alternation of light and shadow on it and the organization of shade in certain places to accommodate benches at different times of the day. Therefore, each section of the route must be landscaped in accordance with its purpose and orientation. On sections of the route that have a meridional direction, at noon when shade appears in such places, it is necessary to plant trees with well-developed crowns, about 6 m in diameter, as close as possible to the edge of the road. Trees can be placed on one or both sides of the path. When placed on one side, it is better to place them from the west, since in this case shading will be provided from 14 hours to the end of the day. Planting trees along a walking route to create shade does not require a row of trees. They can be planted in groups or singly. This placement of trees, taking into account the orientation of the route, breaks the pattern and leads to the creation of a reasonable and picturesque variety of plantings.
On sections of the route that have a latitudinal direction, shading can be provided by green spaces located on the south side.
The circular peripheral walking route, passing mostly in the shaded parts of the garden, is suitable mainly for walks in the afternoon in sunny, hot weather. On cloudy days and in the evening, shaded roads are not cozy enough, and therefore a second ring route should be developed along the edge of the central clearing or along the clearing itself for cloudy days.
The central clearing in the microdistrict garden differs in its functions from the clearings in other city gardens and parks. In the latter, the clearings turned into a purely decorative element that can be admired from afar, but cannot be used directly.
In a neighborhood garden, the central clearing should be actively used. Every corner of it should be accessible and attractive.
In this regard, the most desirable solution was to create a stable lawn in the clearing, allowing free movement. Given the high attendance of the neighborhood garden, this is technically impossible to implement. If you lay a large number of paths of the usual type in a clearing, they will fragment the clearing and deprive it of artistic unity. As the best solution, it is recommended to lay a network of tiled paths in the clearing with grass in the spaces between the slabs. These paths should connect to larger recreation areas with similar surfaces. Thanks to this layout, the clearing becomes accessible for walking and relaxing. Garden furniture for relaxation and board games is placed on small areas.
Landscapes of the clearing and landscapes opening onto the clearing must be carefully thought out and interconnected. The transition from the “green” frame to the clearing should be smooth.
It is advisable to include individual trees and shrubs or small groups in the landscape of the clearing, which will help spatially divide the clearing and will be perceived by visitors as a frame, background or focal point of individual landscape paintings.
The relief of the clearing and the correct consideration of this relief is of great importance for its spatial perception. It is most beneficial when the surface of the clearing rises towards the middle, since this reduces the visual coverage of its entire surface. The most advantageous is the concave profile of the clearing, since in this case it is possible to completely cover the entire clearing with a glance. Individual microelevations and slopes can be used as compositional accents.
It is advisable to combine playgrounds and sports grounds located in a microdistrict garden into one or several groups and adjoin them to the central clearing in such a way that they are organically included in the overall spatial composition of the garden.
From various vantage points of the playground system, which together with their frame make up a kind of park landscape, perspectives can open towards the central clearing.
Groups of playgrounds should be isolated by wide and dense plantings from residential buildings, children's institutions and quiet recreation areas.
Trees, shrubs, herbaceous and flowering plants for a neighborhood garden are selected according to the same criteria as for other landscaping objects. First of all, one, two or several leading tree species must be selected for the garden, which should create the appearance of the garden, turning it into a birch, linden, maple, oak or other grove.
Such a predominant dominance of a particular tree species can give each neighborhood garden its own special flavor. After the main breed has been selected, it is necessary to select an accompanying one that harmonizes well with the main one both aesthetically and biologically. In addition to them, you can select several tree species that differ in their original appearance to accentuate places of special architectural significance.
Shrubs and herbaceous plants in their appearance and biological properties must be consistent with the appearance and properties of the main tree species. For example, linden harmonizes well with various types viburnum, oak - with hazel, birch - with honeysuckle, etc.
The overall system of placing green spaces will be more effective when a gradual transition is created from denser peripheral plantings to more sparse groups and individual trees around the central clearing.
It is also advisable to use trees and shrubs with softer, denser and darker green foliage for peripheral plantings. Flowering trees and shrubs should be placed on the edges of the central clearing and directly on it.
Balance of the territory of the neighborhood garden
The creation of green areas is a mandatory norm of modern urban planning. One of the most common options is the design of public gardens, which are especially relevant for those areas of the city that do not have parks. Or if it is not possible to create them due to the fact that the chosen location is the historical center of the city or contradicts engineering standards. In this situation, public gardens become an excellent alternative to parks, as city residents have the opportunity to relax surrounded by nature.
Definition and main features of public gardens
What is a park? By park, experts mean relatively small green areas that can occupy an area of 0.5-2 hectares. They are located near urban areas and are intended for short-term recreation and convenient movement of pedestrians. They also have a decorative function, as they help improve the appearance of a city, region, or street.
What should you pay attention to when designing internal infrastructure?
A flower garden, lawn, central platform, sculpture or other design solution is probably the main and obligatory element of the park. When there is some kind of composition in the center, the square should emphasize and harmoniously reveal it.
The configuration of the allocated territory also affects the size and shape of the park.
What matters is the intensity of pedestrian flows and the location of the streets adjacent to the park - since the layout of the future park necessarily takes into account the possibilities of different entrances and exits.
Compared to parks, public gardens have a significantly simplified architectural and planning solution and structure. Experts pay attention to creating conditions for a comfortable stay for visitors, as well as providing protection from the negative effects of gases and noise due to heavy traffic. And in some cities they are even starting to use special soundproofing walls - our specialists “stole” this technology from their Western colleagues.
Useful experience of European countries in creating projects for improvement and landscaping of city squares
One of mandatory requirements when creating public gardens in Europe - this is maximum simplicity and a minimum number of details.
Almost all public gardens have a clearly thought-out structure and shape. The purpose of the area or buildings located nearby must be taken into account.
If this is a theater or cinema center, then the square should be convenient for a short rest while waiting for your show. But the parks near transport routes are aimed at creating the most comfortable conditions for movement.