The "Prairie School" and "Prairie Style" need more investigation. They were on a quest to identify the great features of the prairie and accentuate them through landscape and architecture.
Olmsted Sr. wrote:
“There is but one object of scenery near Chicago of special grandeur or sublimity, and that, the Lake, can be made by artificial means no more grand or sublime. By no practical elevation or artificial hills…would the impression of the observer in overlooking it be made greatly more profound. The Lake may, indeed, be accepted as fully compensating for the absence of sublime or picturesque elevations of land.”
Tippens, William W. "The Olmsted Brothers in the Midwest, Naturalism, Formalism, and the City Beautiful Movement." Midwestern Landscape Architecture. Ed. William H. Tishler. Usa: University of Illinois, 2000. 160.
When I think about the strong features of Oklahoma I think of wide open sky. Not the wide open sky's of Montana, but dynamic and ever changing skys.
Wilhelm Miller:
“a new mode of design and planting, which aims to fit the Prairie style as “a new mode of design and planting, which aims to fit the peculiar scenery, climate, soil, labor, and other conditions of the prairies, instead of copying literally the manners and materials of other regions…[which is] based upon the practical needs of the middle-western people and is characterized by preservation of typical western scenery, by restoration of local color, and by repetition of the horizontal line of land or sky which is the strongest feature of prairie scenery.”
Vernon, Christopher. "Wilhelm Miller, Prairie Spirit in Landscape Gardening." Midwestern Landscape Architecture. Ed. William H. Tishler. Usa: University of Illinois, 2000. 184.
Miller is talking about regional identity, the shape and feel of the land, and what is its important features.
Miller again:
Miller contended ‘all prairie scenery’ could be ‘reduced to two units, the broad view and the long view.’ By this definition the broad view suggests ‘infinity and power’ and is ‘more inspiring for occasional visits.’ The long view, on the other hand, is ‘more human and intimate, and often more satisfactory to live with.’.
Vernon, Christopher. "Wilhelm Miller, Prairie Spirit in Landscape Gardening." Midwestern Landscape Architecture. Ed. William H. Tishler. Usa: University of Illinois, 2000. 186. Is the sky Oklahoma's strongest and most universal feature? Should it play a more integral part in design?
I got my View, Summer 2007 edition in the mail this week. It is from the Library of American Landscape History. It is a great read and I recommend it.
