拉丁美洲地域廣闊，土地從北緯32°跨越到南緯56°，氣候有熱帶雨林、熱帶草原、熱帶沙漠、亞熱帶季風(fēng)、溫帶大陸及高山氣候等多種類型。這里有全球最大及物種最多的熱帶雨林—亞馬孫熱帶雨林，也有世界上最長的山脈—安第斯山脈。城市大多數(shù)靠近海岸，而內(nèi)陸是大自然的領(lǐng)地，具有美妙的風(fēng)景和豐富的資源。獨特的地理和氣候條件造就了拉丁美洲景觀的復(fù)雜和多樣。

拉丁美洲也是世界古代文明的重要發(fā)源地之一，古代印第安人創(chuàng)造了燦爛輝煌的瑪雅文明、阿茲特克文明和印加文明。從15世紀(jì)末哥倫布發(fā)現(xiàn)新大陸到16世紀(jì)中葉，拉丁美洲幾乎完全被西班牙和葡萄牙的殖民者所占領(lǐng)。拉丁美洲的文化表現(xiàn)為印第安文化、西班牙或葡萄牙文化以及兩者所具有的摩爾文化的結(jié)合，許多地區(qū)還加入了非洲文化。特殊的歷史背景使得拉丁美洲的文化高度混雜而多元，豐富而獨特。

遙遠的距離和語言的差異限制了我們對拉丁美洲的認知，我對拉美風(fēng)景園林的了解多是通過閱讀文章、查閱項目和聆聽有限的論壇得到的。我最近親歷的拉丁美洲設(shè)計師的風(fēng)景園林作品是洛杉磯市的珀欣廣場，這是墨西哥建筑師萊戈雷塔 （1931—2011）的設(shè)計。當(dāng)時廣場上似乎剛結(jié)束一場活動，大大小小的遮陽傘還沒有拆除，雖具有活力，但人員嘈雜，我在現(xiàn)場總有治安不佳的擔(dān)心。這個廣場由建筑師設(shè)計，充滿了建筑語匯，視覺效果突出，但是廣場上缺少自然氣息和林蔭，與城市之間也沒有很好的聯(lián)系，正因為此，這個廣場即將面臨新一輪的改造重建。

珀欣廣場的一些設(shè)計語言明顯地受到了墨西哥建筑師路易斯·巴拉甘（1902—1988）的影響。巴拉甘在拉丁美洲現(xiàn)代建筑和園林的發(fā)展中占有極為重要的地位，他設(shè)計的園林以色彩明亮的墻體與水、植物和天空形成強烈反差，創(chuàng)造了寧靜而富有詩意的心靈庇護所。巴拉甘使用的要素非常簡單，主要是墻，如明黃、大紅、桃紅、海藍、橘黃、紫羅蘭等不同色彩的墻體，當(dāng)然還有水，包括高架的水渠、落泉和鏡面水池。巴拉甘的墻繼承了當(dāng)?shù)氐慕ㄔ靷鹘y(tǒng)，色彩來自于哥倫布以前的墨西哥，也來自于他旅行去過的地中海國家，而水渠、落水槽和水池是他對童年生活的農(nóng)莊的記憶。巴拉甘發(fā)現(xiàn)了這些傳統(tǒng)建造中的永恒價值，并將傳統(tǒng)和現(xiàn)代完美地結(jié)合了起來。他用簡練而富有詩意的設(shè)計語言，構(gòu)造起能夠喚起情感、觸動心靈的神秘場景。對巴拉甘來說，優(yōu)秀的園林就是與整個宇宙息息相通的，他的作品賦予我們的物質(zhì)環(huán)境一個精神的價值，他將人們內(nèi)心深處的、幻想的、懷舊的和遙遠的世界中來的情感重新喚起。

巴拉甘有不少的追隨者，萊戈雷塔是其中之一，但是這些后來者的設(shè)計更多的只是應(yīng)用巴拉甘的設(shè)計語匯，模仿巴拉甘設(shè)計的外形，卻失去了巴拉甘作品中特有的寧靜和超凡脫俗的氣質(zhì)。

拉丁美洲另一位最負盛名的風(fēng)景園林師是布雷?馬克斯（1909—1994），在其長達50多年的設(shè)計歷程中，他完成了上千件設(shè)計作品。布雷·馬克斯也是位優(yōu)秀的抽象畫家，具有極高的藝術(shù)天賦，他在景觀設(shè)計的同時，一直沒有停止繪畫創(chuàng)作。他認為，藝術(shù)是相通的，景觀設(shè)計與繪畫從某種角度來說，只是工具的不同。他用流動的、有機的、自由的形式設(shè)計園林，一如他的繪畫風(fēng)格。布雷·馬克斯曾說：“我畫我的園林”，這正道出了他的造園手法。在他的眼里，所有的造園的材料、特別是各種巴西特有的植物都如調(diào)色板上的顏料，任憑他在大地上自如揮灑。布雷·馬克斯的園林繼承了巴西的傳統(tǒng)以及歐洲殖民文化的傳統(tǒng)，但是他用現(xiàn)代藝術(shù)的語言為這一傳統(tǒng)注入了新的活力，創(chuàng)造了適合巴西的氣候特點和植物材料的風(fēng)格，開辟了景觀設(shè)計的新天地。

20世紀(jì)70—90年代，世界范圍內(nèi)風(fēng)景園林的專業(yè)書籍和專業(yè)雜志都非常少，國際交流也不多，由于布雷?馬克斯的設(shè)計極為獨特，他還不斷在不同的國家舉辦畫展，并出版了作品集，他的設(shè)計產(chǎn)生了廣泛的世界影響。我在讀書期間，布雷·馬克斯是我所知的極為有限的國外風(fēng)景園林師之一。

21世紀(jì)以來，拉丁美洲各國在風(fēng)景園林領(lǐng)域有了更廣泛的實踐，不同國家結(jié)合自身的自然條件、社會狀況和文化特點，針對城市、環(huán)境和社會等問題，完成了一系列風(fēng)景園林的實踐，包括城市公共空間和公園體系的建造，新的交通系統(tǒng)如快速公交、自行車道和步行街的設(shè)立，歷史街區(qū)的更新，工業(yè)區(qū)的改造、貧民窟基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施和公共服務(wù)的改善等，許多項目都獲得了國際榮譽。2015年，墨西哥的風(fēng)景園林師馬里奧·謝特蘭獲得了國際風(fēng)景園林界的最高獎—杰里科獎，這讓我們再次將目光聚焦到拉丁美洲。

了解他人的經(jīng)驗有助于我們更加清晰地認識自己。從距離上看，拉丁美洲遠離我們。當(dāng)我們讀到或者看到那些遠在異國他鄉(xiāng)且與我們的文化迥然不同的思想和項目，并了解它們的背景后，我們其實是在擴展自己的視野，我們的思想也會變得更加寬廣和深刻。

PREFACE

Landscape Architecture in Latin America

Latin America has a vast area that lies between 32 degrees north latitude and 56 degrees south latitude,with various types of climate,ranging from selva climate,savanna climate,tropical desert climate,subtropical monsoon climate,temperate continental climate as well as alpine climate.It breeds the world’s largest and most diversified tropical rainforest,the Amazon Rainforest,and the longest mountain ranges in the world,the Andes Mountains.Here,most cities are located near the coast,while inland areas are the territory of the nature,where there are abundant natural resources and charming sceneries.Well,such peculiar geographical features and climate conditions contribute a lot to the complexity and diversity of the landscape in the Latin America.

Latin America is one of the major origins of ancient civilizations in the world.In this area,the ancient Indians ever created the glorious Maya civilization,Aztec civilization as well as the Inca civilization.During the period from the end of the 15th century when Columbus discovered the New Continent until the middle of the 16th century,the Latin American area was almost occupied by the Spanish and Portuguese colonists.Latin America has various cultures,including the Indian culture,Spanish or Portuguese culture and Moorish culture,also African culture is integrated in some area.The special historical background result in the highly mixed and diversified,rich yet peculiar Latin American culture.

Long distance and language barriers have constantly hindered us from knowing better about Latin America.Well,my personal knowledge about landscape architecture in Latin America is mainly gained from related articles,specific projects,and forums.The project I’ve recently been to is the Pershing Square in the city of Los Angeles,designed by the Mexican designer Ricardo Legorreta Vilchis (1931—2011) with strong Latin American style.It seemed that some event was just over on the square then,with lots of sunshades of different sizes still there.The place is vigorous but a bit too noisy and disordered,which kind of made me worried about the security.Since the square was designed by an architect,it is expressed with architectural language,presenting prominent visual effect.Yet,it lacks natural presence and tree shades on the square,the connection with city is also weak.As a result,the square is about to be under renovation.

It is obvious that the design language of the Pershing Square could be partly traced back to the Mexican architect,Luis Barrag?n (1902—1988),a very important architect in the development of Latin American modern architecture and landscape.His works were featured with walls in bright colors,which in fact make a strong contrast with water,plants and sky,thus creating a tranquil and poetic shelter for the human soul.The elements were usually very simple,mainly walls,in such colors as bright yellow,bright red,peach red,sea blue,orange and violet,as well water,including elevated canals,fountains,and smooth ponds.Walls in Barrag?n’s works inherited the features of local architectural traditions,while those colors mainly originated from the Mexico when Columbus haven’t set his foot on the area,and also from some Mediterranean countries he has travelled to.At the same time,the images of canals,fountains and ponds were from his memories about the farm on which he spent his childhood.Barrag?n somehow discovered the eternal value hidden behind these traditional structures,with which he made a perfect combination of the tradition and modernity.With concise yet poetic design language,he created mysterious and impressive scenes which are able to stimulate certain kinds of emotions.For Barrag?n,an excellent garden should be naturally and closely connected with the whole universe,while his works actually endow kind of spiritual value to our physical environment,awaken those feelings that are hidden deep in people’s hearts,or totally imaginary,or somehow nostalgic and connected with some remote worlds.

Barrag?n has many followers,and Legorreta was one of them.However,those followers usually repeat Barrag?n’s design language merely,or simply imitate the outer shapes of his designs,while they normally lack the peculiar tranquil and extraordinary quality that characterizes Barrag?n’s work.

Well,Roberto Burle Marx (1909—1994) is another famous landscape architect from Latin America.During his over fifty years of design career,he had accomplished more than a thousand design works.At the same time,Burle Marx was also an excellent abstract painter,with extraordinary artistic talents.During his design career,he had never stopped painting.He always believed that all arts are related to some extent,the major difference between landscape design and painting only lies in the usage of tools.He designed gardens in a fluid,organic,free form,just like his painting style.He once said,“I paint my gardens”.These words vividly show his design technique.In his eyes,all materials for the construction of gardens,especially those kinds of plants that are native to Brazil,were just like the various colors on the palette,awaiting his free arrangement on the land.Burle Marx’s gardens inherited both the native Brazilian traditions and the European colonial culture,while by using the modern art language he brought some new vigor into these traditions,thus created a style that is suitable for the local climate and plant materials,brought about a brand-new trend of landscape design.

From the 1970s to the 1990s,there were very few professional books and magazines on landscape architecture world-wide,and there was not much international communication.Well,just in such an era,Burle Marx’s designs still had a widespread influence across the world mainly due to its uniqueness.He also held exhibitions in different countries and published collections of his works.During my school time,Burle Marx was actually one of the few foreign landscape architects I had ever known about.

Well,since the beginning of the new century,the countries in Latin America have accomplished wider practices in the field of landscape architecture.In the meantime,in view of their own natural and social conditions as well as cultural features,different countries has completed series of practices in landscape design in order to solve the existing municipal,environmental and social problems they are facing currently,including the construction of urban public space and park system,the establishment of new transportation systems such as Bus Rapid Transit,bicycle lanes and pedestrian streets,the renovations of historical streets and blocks,the transformation of industrial zones,improvement projects in slum infrastructure and public services and so on,some of these projects have won international honors.In the year 2015,the Mexican landscape architect Mario Schjetnan was granted IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award,the highest prize of Landscape Architecture in the world.This event again drew people’s attention to Latin America.

In fact,the experience we draw from others can help us to understand ourselves better.In space,Latin America is distant from us.Well,when we read or see those thoughts and projects from remote,exotic countries and places,whose culture are totally different from ours,and furthermore,try to understand the background lies behind,we are actually broadening our vision and enlightening our mind.

Translator:WANG Xiyue

Chief Editor:Prof.Dr.-Ing.WANG Xiangrong

January 21st,2019