Wk 4 Peter Walker (Professional Practise)


Peter Walker continues the minimalist geometric style of his idols such as Andre Le Notre and Dan Kiley, bringing the craft 'up to date' as it were for our modern steel towered landscapes. His manner in reports and interviews seems quite direct and pragmatic, ordered. His landscapes seem to reflect this, using straight forward order, shapes and lines mixed with selected planting to create a subtle complexity and immersive spaces. Most notably is the unexpected additions to the end of straight lines, an irregularly located rectangular hard surface, lines of trees irregularly but intentionally broken to create glades. 

His most notable project is the National September 11 Memorial. Walker knows when to allow a place to speak, and adds his design input to allow this to happen. I once watched a video about the person that cleans the two colossal waterfall voids each evening, the atmosphere which he experiences each day is something that I can't really describe. Walker has designed this whole place for others to engage with this feeling from the top of the voids and throughout the garden. True mastery of craft. 


Image from 30/30 Landscape Architecture book


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