Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing the American Landscape

by Charles Beveridge, Charles Beveridge

Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) designed America's most beloved parks and landscapes of the past century--New York's Central Park, Brooklyn's Prospect Park, the U.S. Capitol grounds, the Biltmore Estate, and many others. From the authors and photographer of the definitive book on Olmsted comes this condensed edition presenting the breadth of Olmsted's work in expansive, beautiful color photographs. The engaging text illuminates Olmsted's role as an indefatigable social resource.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening, Architecture, History, Biography

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 1995

Reviews

[Jim Gladstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compared to the annus horribilis that was 2021, the new year ahead should be a walk in the park. How appropriate then that 2022 marks the bicentennial birthday of our greatest park-itect. Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing the American Landscape, by Charles E. Beveridge and Paul Rocheleau is a lush coffeetable tribute to the man who keenly articulated the mental health impact of a stroll in natural surroundings: “The enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it; tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it… through the influence of the mind over the body gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration to the whole system.” Olmsted cultivated some of our country’s most pleasurable places to reboot, from Central Park in New York to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The book’s large format full color photographs lead a reader on virtual promenades through Olmsted’s masterworks, which also include the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. And the authors point out ingenious details of Olmsted’s projects, as well as exploring his biography, his philosophical views on the relationship of nature and art and his crucial role as a conservationist in establishing what is now the U.S. National Park System.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost 30 years ago I bought this book, and, when I noticed that it was missing, I replaced it. It's too gorgeous a book not to have and have read.

At first the writing style seemed stiff but I got accustomed to it. It covers Olmsted's entire landscaping career and every project he completed from Staten Island, to Massachusetts, to Yosemite, to the US Capitol.

He seemed to be a deeply serious man with very strict ideas about landscape design that encompassed his passion for all the areas in the world where he traveled and how he brought that knowledge to his projects across America.

The book focuses on Olmsted landscape work and discuses little of his upbringing, personal life or writings. There are many original renderings and beautiful location photographs of his work.

His accomplishments are catalogued by the Library of Congress and at olmsted.org He is revered by many, by those who gave him commissions, and all those who are aware of and treasure his work today. He is the father of Landscape Architecture.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

New York's Central Park. US Capitol grounds. Stanford and Berkeley university campuses. Biltmore estate. Yosemite national park. Niagara Falls. These landscapes and many more were designed by Frederick Olmsted, the 19th century visionary behind so much of America's most scenic & iconic places. Olmsted was to landscape architecture what Frank Lloyd Wright was to building architecture.

This book provides a short but good biography of FLO's life in its first chapter, and his philosophy of design in its second. The remaining chapters tell the stories of each of the great outdoor spaces he created, with the final chapter summarizing his legacy today. If you're looking for a FLO bio plus an album of his greatest hits (with color photos) this is the book for you.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beveridge's book is much less comprehensive when it comes to Olmsted's life, but much more illustrative when it comes to his work than Rybczynski's book. It's worth a look just for the wonderful photographs of some private work Olmsted did around the country.

Notes:

The strength of the book is in the synopses of Olmsted's various projects and their theoretical bases. The reading of Olmsted's life and work is immeasurably enhanced by the wonderful photographs in the book. The great irony is Olmsted's epic populist vision could only be fully carried out on large private estates where he was given free reign. Olmsted bore himself with a brash self-righteousness that borders on egomania. What this book sorely lacks is a detailed useful comparison of Olmsted's work with that of other landscape architects of the time.

[Jingyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olmsted has a true respect for "the genius of the places". His vision is so original and yet so advanced. Apart from his many great design works, I think he also played a key role in preserving American landscapes, especially the concept of least intrusion in the national parks. The book did a good job to introduce his life, vision and work.

[John R Naugle]

Charles E. Beveridge, the author of this book is the world's foremost authority on F.L. Olmsted. I'd like to reach out to him to be co-founder of the Global Peace Garden with us.