Background / Tradition:
The French appropriated
Italian Renaissance principles but transformed them into a style with a
distinct “French flavor”.
This style was awe inspiring, powerful and impressive.
This new style was
introduced (mostly) in gardens of the Royals.
Spatial Organization:
Gardens were grand,
well organized,
balanced and geometric.
Order merges with nature.
Consider:
Zonage
Threshold
Transition
Linear elegance is favored
over the theatricality of Italian models.
Cultural Environment /
Tastes / Fashion:
It was an age of absolute
monarchy.
The king’s absolute
power is portrayed in the garden.
Amenities / Components
Sculptural programs with
allegorical allusion (sculptures with symbolic meaning based on ancient beliefs
and literature)
Avenues-long roads and
allées as an expression of prominence
Canals/water mirrors
Grottoes
Parterres de broiderie