John O. Simonds

John O. Simonds

Infobox Person
name = John Ormsbee Simonds
image_size = 200px
birth_date = birth date|1913|3|11|mf=y
birth_place = Jamestown, North Dakota
death_date = death date and age|2005|5|6|1913|3|11|mf=y
death_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
occupation = Landscape Architect, Planner, and Environmentalist
spouse = Margorie Simonds
parents = Guy Wallace and Margueritte Simonds

John Ormsbee Simonds was born in Jamestown, North Dakota on March 11, 1913. He was a visionary landscape architect, planner, educator, and environmentalist. Simonds was an original modernist landscape architect and one of the most influential and well-known of his time.

Career

In 1935 he graduated with a B.S. in Landscape Architecture from Michigan State University. He went on to receive a Master’s from Harvard Graduate School of Design. After finishing school, Simonds and his brother Phil established their company, Simonds and Simonds, later known as Environmental Planning and Development Partnership. While continuing his company he published his first book, "Landscape Architecture: The Spacing of Man’s Natural Environment". In 1973 Simonds received his first and most honorable award, the ASLA medal. Shortly after being awarded, Simonds released another publication titled, "Earthscape: A Manual of Environmental Planning". In 1983 and 1998 he released the second and then third edition of his publication "Landscape Architecture". Before his death in May 2005, Simonds received his last award, the ASLA President’s Centennial Medal in 1998.

Influences

The first most important influence was Simonds' father, Guy Wallace, a Presbyterian minister. Simonds' father helped him to develop a love and appreciation for nature, and the ability to speak to others with great enthusiasm. As his designs developed, the use of incorporating nature with quality and balance became his foremost goal and attribute to design.

Simonds' design was also greatly influenced by his travels to Asia. He began to use aspects of the Zen philosophy and their idea of the garden being harmonious. Simonds wanted the garden to become a way for humans to create a relationship with plants. With his travels to Asia and studies under modern architects Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer at Harvard, Simonds' designs became the best they could be and remain a part of today’s society, influencing rising architects.

Accomplishments

The basis of Simonds' firm was centered on parks, recreational facilities, playgrounds, urban area and space, and many large gardens.

Mellon Square, in Pittsburgh, was built in 1951 and is one of Simonds major designs. The garden was one of the first and few placed on top a parking garage. "Mellon Square was intended by Simonds to be an oasis, a civic movement, and a gathering space in the midst of downtown office towers." [cite web| url=http://www.tclf.org/pioneers/simonds.htm| author=Slade, Nancy| title="Remembering John Ormsbee Simonds, FASLA"| date=2007| publisher=The Cultural Landscape Foundation| accessdate=2008-05-21] The social movement of World War II and the Pittsburgh Renaissance both greatly influenced Simonds' work. During this time Pittsburgh was in the need of deep restoration. The Simonds and Simonds Company became very popular, taking in many new commissions, the Mellon Square being one of the first and most important reconstructions of civic space.

In 1960 the company, now the Environmental Planning and Development Partnership, moved their work away from Pittsburgh. The Chicago Botanic Garden became well known for its impact on landscape architecture. [cite web| url=http://www.chicagobotanic.org/info/index.php| title="About the Chicago Botanical Garden"| publisher=Chicago Botanical Garden Organization| date=2007| accessdate=2007-10-28] The botanic garden was built from an unpleasant source of land in Glencoe, Illinois. "The site covers over 300 acres, featuring a series of island gardens with an administration and visitor education center on the largest island."cite web|url=http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/SPEC/exhibits/simonds.pdf| title="John Ormsbee Simonds Remembered"| publisher=George Smathers Library| date=2006| accessdate=2007-10-28] Simonds created a garden that incorporated an area for education of plants and actual touchable exhibits. Like the Mellon Square, the focus of creating relationships between human and plant can be seen within this design.

In the 1970s, Florida was in the process of creating new communities. During this time, Simonds changed his focus to large scale developments, allowing Florida’s new communities to be options of work. Pelican Bay, located in Naples, Florida, became one of Simonds' great large-scale projects. He also established and developed the term PUD, Planned Unit Development, within the bay community. The greatness of this design was the combination of nature and community with nothing overpowering the scene. The design involved the use of nature features, which enabled the area to preserve the ecology of the region. Pelican Bay became widely appreciated and recognized after receiving the New Community Development Award for Excellence by the Urban Land Institute.

Simonds took part in 500 projects and was a planner of 80 communities and 4 new towns. Some of his famous works include:
*Pittsburgh Aviary - Conservatory [http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/manuscript/guides/Simonds.htm]
*Interstate 66 in Virginia
*Allegheny Commons [http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_city/20011124commonscity1p1.asp]

Significance to landscape architecture

Simonds moved the focus in landscape architecture from plants to the idea of plants and human relationship. He created a movement of change from landscape specialists to landscape environmentalists, urban designers, and regional planners. [cite web| url=http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/manuscript/guides/Simonds.htm| title="A Guide to the John Ormsbee Simonds Collection."| author=Nemmers, John| page=3| publisher=George Smathers Libraries, University of Florida| date=2006| accessdate=2007-10-28] The style in which he created was no longer just a design, but rather it became a place for people to experience. John Ormsbee Simonds will always have a great impact on Landscape Architecture and will continue to influence many landscape designs.

"One designs not places, or spaces, or things, one designs experiences." - John Ormsbee Simonds

ee also

*Landscape Architecture
*Urban Planning

References

Lowry, Patricia. "A John O. Simonds: Influential Landscape Architect." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2005. University of Florida. 28 Oct 2007 http://www.iflaonline.org/news/john_simonds.html

External links

* [http://www.chicagobotanic.org/info/index.php Chicago Botanic Garden]
* [http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/SPEC/exhibits/simonds.pdf John Ormsbee Simonds Remembered] . Includes photographs of major designs.
* [http://www.iflaonline.org/news/john_simonds.html Obituary: Prominent and Influential Landscape Architect]
* [http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/manuscript/guides/Simonds.htm A Guide to the John Ormsbee Simonds Collection]
* [http://www.tclf.org/pioneers/simonds.htm Remembering John Simonds: Pioneer of American Landscape Design]
* [http://www.asla.org/ American Society of Landscape Architects]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Simonds — may refer to:People*Gavin Simonds, 1st Viscount Simonds *George Simonds *George Blackall Simonds *George S. Simonds *Guy Simonds *Henry Simonds *John O. Simonds *Justin Simonds *Matthew Simonds *Merilyn Simonds *Nathaniel Simonds *Ossian Cole… …   Wikipedia

  • John Sims — Nacimiento 13 de octubre 1749 Fallecimiento 26 de febrero 1831 Residencia Inglaterra Nacionalidad inglés …   Wikipedia Español

  • John R. Buck — John Ransom Buck (* 6. Dezember 1835 in Glastonbury, Connecticut; † 6. Februar 1917 in Hartford, Connecticut) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1881 und 1883 sowie von 1885 bis 1887 vertrat er den ersten Wahlbezirk des …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John T. Wait — John Turner Wait (* 27. August 1811 in New London, Connecticut; † 21. April 1899 in Norwich, Connecticut) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1876 und 1887 vertrat er den dritten Wahlbezirk des Bundesstaates Co …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Baldwin (Politiker) — John Baldwin (* 5. April 1772 in Mansfield, Connecticut; † 27. März 1850 in Windham, Connecticut) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1825 und 1829 vertrat er den Bundesstaat Connecticut im US Repräsentantenhaus. Werdegang John… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John H. Brockway — John Hall Brockway (* 31. Januar 1801 in Ellington, Connecticut; † 29. Juli 1870 ebenda) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1839 und 1843 vertrat er den Bundesstaat Connecticut im US Repräsentantenhaus. Werdegang Nach der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Henry Hubbard — (* 24. März 1804 in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut; † 30. Juli 1872 in Litchfield, Connecticut) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1863 und 1867 vertrat er den Bundesstaat Connecticut im US Repräsentantenhaus …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Q. Tilson — John Quillin Tilson (* 5. April 1866 in Clearbranch, Unicoi County, Tennessee; † 14. August 1958 in New London, New Hampshire) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1909 und 1913 sowie nochmals von 1915 bis 1932 vertrat er den …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Woodruff (Politiker) — John Woodruff John Woodruff (* 12. Februar 1826 in West Hartford, Connecticut; † 20. Mai 1868 in New Haven, Connecticut) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1855 und 1857 sowie nochmals von 1859 bis 1861 vertrat er den zweiten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John A. McGuire — John Andrew McGuire (* 28. Februar 1906 in Wallingford, Connecticut; † 28. Mai 1976 ebenda) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1949 und 1953 vertrat er den dritten Wahlbezirk des Bundesstaates Connecticut im US Repräsentantenhaus …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”