Kathryn Gustafson

 

Kathryn Gustafson

Kathryn Gustafson is an American landscape architect, known for creating distinctive sculptural landscapes that engage with the human experience. At university she originally studied applied arts for about a year before attending the Fashion Institute of Technology to study as a fashion designer and eventually turning to landscape design at the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Paysage in Versailles – her years within the arts professions have a clear influence on her methods and work.

Gustafson’s philosophy is that she sees all materials as possessing organic qualities that respond to the seasons, as well as air, heat, sun and wind. Her form-making practice with terrain conceptualises movement as a response to the art of landscape as a composition, combining elements both visible and not, including light, sound, and atmosphere. She utilises clay models to visualise the landforms, stating ‘I don’t understand anything unless I can actually feel it’. She also frequently uses the saying ‘the sky is mine’, acknowledging the reach of landscape architecture to anything under the open sky. Gustafson identifies a responsibility for the human experience, from the moment a person leaves their front door – everything they go through and every interaction with the landscape. 

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial, London

During a talk on art in landscape architecture, she discusses the importance of studying art as it is ‘the pulse of our society’. Gustafson encourages turning to art when working on a project to learn from the piece what about the landscape is so beautiful and nourishing from the perspective of human experience. She goes on to discuss the human experience, detailing the importance of integrating the element of surprise into design so every time a person comes back to a landscape, they feel like they are discovering something new. Also, how every person wants something different from a space – somebody may want an event field, whilst someone else may desire a private place. Gustafson stresses the significance of capturing diversity within a space. A more recent video on city living relates back this – Kathryn identifies that if a city does not accommodate a certain need for landscape then those people are going to spread into the countryside to satisfy said need. This results in urban sprawl, more roads, more cars, and more pollution – something that must be reduced to create healthy places. Gustafson acknowledges the need to bring nature into the city, whilst creating places for a diverse range of people.

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington

I really admire Gustafson’s ethos; I like how she utilises art to identify and recreate beauty within the landscape from a visitor perspective. Also, the interaction she sees between material choice and the seasons and natural factors of a space. This way of looking at landscape architecture is something I have not done before but intend on practicing in the future, studying art to aid my development within the profession. I also agree with the importance she places on the human experience, and how landscapes must be diverse to tailor to every single visitor, whilst stressing the need to bring nature into cities. I believe that in a rapidly changing world, using a natural setting to make it inclusive for all is a vital part of our development as a society. 

"When you design landscapes, remember that it's a journey. Nothing is fixed. Everything is going to evolve over time." - Kathryn Gustafson

References

Gustafson Porter + Bowman. (n.d.) Kathryn Gustafson. Available at: http://www.gp-b.com/kathryn-gustafson (Accessed: 20 February 2021)

Green, J. (n.d.) Interview with Kathryn Gustafson. Available at: https://www.asla.org/contentdetail.aspx?id=26846 (Accessed: 20 February 2021)

Gustafson, K. (2017) Kathryn Gustafson on the Art of Landscape Architecture. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdM9GVHWmfU (Accessed: 20 February 2021)

Gustafson, K. (2018) Landscape Everything Around You with Kathryn Gustafson. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4y0BAeCNDY&feature=youtu.be (Accessed: 20 February 2021)

Wikipedia Contributors. (2020) Kathryn Gustafson. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Gustafson (Accessed: 20 February 2021)

Images

https://www.ggnltd.com/kathryn-gustafson

http://www.gp-b.com/diana-princess-of-wales-memorial

https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/event/kathryn-gustafson/