What are some of the design techniques used in Versailles?

...Louis decided to use the Sun God, Apollo, as the theme of symbolism for the garden. Le Nôtre and Le Brun were discovered by the king after they designed Vaux-le-Vicomte for Nicolas Fouquet. Le Brun was in charge of the symbolism and sculpture and Le Nôtre was in charge of the garden and planting design.




Le Nôtre's design technique was to make the entire garden visible at a glance, so it must be relatively narrow so that a man's eyes do not have to turn from side to side. In order for the garden to be impressive and to show its grand scale, the garden must be long, so that a man can stand on the uppermost viewing terrace and look on and on. The main axis of the garden is also the main axis of the buildings; it ran from the center of the palace westwards to the setting sun. This made Louis the center of the design. The Apollo fountain was placed along this axis at the end of the canal.



Le Nôtre used the radial pattern as the motif of the garden, and used the radial routes at both the main axis along the canal and the secondary axes of the smaller gardens. Fountains or statues were placed at the centers of the radial patterns. This way, a fountain or statue can serve as vista for multiple paths or walks. Each smaller garden may have its unique characteristic, but it must be subordinate to the whole design concept. Three grand avenues connect the Versailles town to Place d'Armes and the palace.



At the west side of the palace, high terraces make it possible for a visitor to see the entire garden at a glance and look at the main vista framed by trees and shrubs arranged in linear patterns and following the main axis of the palace. A number of low parterres and green lawn in various formal patterns have been placed close to the high viewing terrace. They can be looked down upon from the terraces and the upper floors of nearby buildings. Visitors can actually perceive geometric patterns formed by parterres and green lawn because they can look down at these patterns...



A number of patterns we'll discuss have been used in the planting design of Versailles: Axis and Symmetry, Linear Array with Vista, Radial Pattern, Motif, Repetition and Rhythm, etc. Versailles is also a good example of the balance between unity and variations. André Le Nôtre used the cross axes to set up the basic pattern of the garden, yet he also used the diagonal axes to break the pattern and create surprise, interest, and climax. The smaller gardens are similar in size and most are in rectangular shapes, yet the patterns inside each garden are unique...



A good designer should be able to master all basic formal planting design patterns and use them flexibly.



Pierre L'Enfant, the planner and designer for Washington D.C., spent his childhood in Versailles. This probably had a significant impact on his concept for the overall design of Washington D.C. (Fig. 1.1), and explains the extensive use of diagonal axes, radial patterns, and grand avenues in the planning and design of Washington D.C...



Quoted from page 73 of the 2nd edition of "Planting Design Illustrated" (ISBN-10: 1432741977, ISBN-13: 978-1432741976)



Copyright 2010 Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Architectural Practice Simplified," "Planting Design Illustrated," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture



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