In the increasing urban environments and the
modern societies demands for sustainability
there is a challange in planning cities with a
balance between density and a satisfying access
of recreational environments. For attractive cities
these environments need to be designed to fit
every inhabitants’ demands and opinions in some
way. Increased knowledge and understanding
is therefore needed about how different design
styles in landscape architecture affect people
and the cities. In this bachelor thesis benefits
and disadvantages as well as the experience
and impact of two fundamental design styles
i discussed; naturalistic and formal/abstract
design. The information is based on litterature
studies of books and scientific articles.
It is clear that the choice of design style does not
have the biggest impact on neither the experience
or the purpose and meaning of a place, but that
it rather depends on many other factors. For
example it depends on what place it is, in what
context i lies, to what purpose and for whom the
place is made.
Generally people have a positive attitude
towards naturalistic environments, but they
also appreciate more formal and abstract
designs. They often express a desire for a more
naturalistic surrounding, but at the same time
they want organised and clean environments
with evidence of care. Both naturalistic and
formal/abstract environments is experienced as
soothing and have positive effects on our health.
In surroundings with naturalistic design many
people experience a greater feeling of freedom
and contact with nature. This design style is also
usually better in ecological point of view. Formal
and abstract design on the other hand may be
percieved as safer than the naturalistic design
and also more representative, innovative and
appropriate in the urban context. Which design
style that is the most favourable in maintenance
and economical point of view is not generally
agreed on, but formal and abstract designs
usually result in higher costs in the long run.
One all-embracing conclusion for this bachelor
thesis is that it is not possible to name the best
design style of the reason that there is not any
generally better or worse choice. Both naturalistic
and formal/abstract design is needed in the
cities to create the wide range of recreational
environments...
