104 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY 



circulation for many people, we naturally revert to the classical, formal plan; but, on the 

 other hand, it would be as absurd deliberately to plan a village formally as it would be to 

 plan a larger city picturesquely. In each, minor factors can partake of the character of 

 the opposite scheme; but the mere conception of large work is on broad lines and of small 

 work upon smaller detail. 



Broad, direct, and adequate avenues of communication are necessary in large cities. 

 The need is to be felt, however, in large planning, of the secondary planning after the 

 main lines of circulation, the "rond points," etc., are determined; 



Each island, so to speak, left between the main avenues becomes a subject for indi- 

 vidual treatment, and, in proportion to its size, partakes more and more of the type of 

 plan for a small community by itself. The element of picturesque planning can well enter 

 into these smaller factors. For instance, the gridiron plan is everywhere equally formal, 

 and would gain interest by having variety in the size and directions of its smaller streets 

 between the great avenues. Versailles lacks interest from the excessive formality of its 

 plan, while the villas of Frascati and of Genoa and of Rome are fascinating because of 

 the constant variety of plan occasioned by an appreciation of contrast and purpose. 



The Germans are at present studying this phase of the problem, are advocating 

 variety of treatment of street-planning and the use of short streets and curved lines. 

 Even in large boulevards and important avenues of circulation the vistas should not be 

 too long. Too often vistas fade away in the distance, and there is no line of demarcation 

 between one district and another, such as can be obtained by a tower, an arch, or other 

 monuments upon the axes of the avenues. The Sieges-allee in Berlin is ineffective because 

 of too long a vista. The scheme for the improvement of Washington is peculiarly satis- 

 factory, as the long vista of the mall is well terminated at either end, and is flanked by 

 a less formal arrangement of paths and trees and buildings which afford excellent contrasts. 



Finally, after the main scheme is estabHshed and the harmonious, but contrasting, 

 schemes of the smaller areas determined, there remains the study of minor details. In 

 some cases there are gardens and arrangements of trees, hedges, labyrinths, fountains, 

 pavilions, etc., and often this study leads to the skylines and shadows of adjacent build- 

 ings. A formal building impels a formal approach; a picturesque approach demands a 

 certain amount of variety of light and shade in buildings related to it. 



In my working with landscape architects their contention has been that my desire 

 was often for work that was not sufficiently formal, and yet upon completion it has seemed 

 to me that the result of their work has not been thoroughly orchestrated and detailed. 

 Slight adaptations of surface-grades, creating low terraces, are often superior to undula- 

 ting surfaces and balustrades require recurring accents to establish a scale. Orchestration 

 increases naturally with the growth of foliage, when it is not apparent at first, and the 

 landscape architect is fortunate in having nature create for him a multitude of details, 

 which the architect is denied by lack of means. 



One of the chief improvements which could be obtained by the coordination of 

 architects and landscape architects comes from this very luxuriance of growth of foliage; 

 that is, uncouth and inharmonious masses of architecture could be planted out. And an 

 order, of a kind, can be created from the disorder of our streets. There is many a building 

 which would be improved by being Set behind trees and covered with ivy. 



On the other hand, we frequently fail to govern nature as it approaches the dwellings 

 of man; we are so fond of the call of the wild, that we let the tangle of brushwood come 



