Precedent critique - George Hargreaves - William J Clinton Presidential Centre

George Hargreaves is a landscape architect. The work of his firm has received numerous national awards and has been published and exhibited nationally and internationally. Hargreaves and his firm designed numerous sites including the master plan for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, The Brightwater Waste Water Treatment Facility in Seattle, Washington, and University of Cincinnati Master Plan.

Below are images of William J Clinton Presidential Centre. Designed by Hargreaves and his company. Primary features of the park include upper and lower riverfront promenades that provide access to and views of the river, an arrival and celebration plaza, grassy gathering spaces and a multi-use amphitheatre, a children’s play area, river and terrace gardens, a festival grove of native Arkansas trees, and lawns that stretch to the river.

I am fond of the angular cut and fill mounds that define the modern aesthetic of the design. It has an overall clean style that complements the modern buildings around and part of the centre. While I am usually not a big fan of extensive lawns in urban landscaping, the relief differences are stimulating enough to be personally appealing despite the lack of herbaceous vegetation.

Overall, I think the design is interesting. It certainly fits a modern scheme and would suit most central urban areas. I am torn on its usability, as most of the features seem to be more for effect than functionality but it is still a pleasing design to look at and its construction creates different vistas and 'rooms' within the space that would vary the human experience throughout the area.