The document provides a comparative study of spatial organization in public parks, focusing on definitions of space and its elements. It discusses various park designs, including Birkenhead Park, Central Park, Hyde Park, and others, emphasizing how vegetation and landforms define spaces, create experiences, and influence movement. The study categorizes spatial organization into several typologies, such as centralized, linear, radial, clustered, and grid arrangements, highlighting key features of each park's layout.

1. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKSCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Space can be defined as :
• An area of land enclosed, defined or
adopted by people for human purposes..
•A medium and concept of landscape
architecture.
•A place for outdoor activiies.
•An enclosure.
•The opposite of “form or mass”.
(source : Form and Fabric in Landscape Architecture – Catherine
Dee)
“It may also be defined as captured,
enclosed or molded and organized by solid
elements of mass.”
(source : Form, Space and Order – D.K. Ching)
Space can be defined in three dimensions
by :
•The base or the ground plane
•Wall or vertical planes
•Sky or the overhead plane
(source : Form and Fabric in Landscape Architecture – Catherine
Dee)
For a Horizontal plane to be seen , there
must be a perceptible change in texture or
color between its surface and the plane
upon which it lies.
(source : Form, Space and Order – D.K. Ching)
Wall planes may consist of vegetation that
is coarsely textured and merges from the
ground to an overhead plane.
Overhead plane consists of the sky or the
ceiling formed by the trees and their
canopy. (source : Form and Fabric in Landscape Architecture
SPACE:
HOW SPACE IS FORMED:
1
Fig: Base plane –
Space definition
Fig: Sunken Base
plane
Fig: Elevated Base
plane
Fig: Vertical plane
Fig: Overhead plane-
Sky
Fig: Overhead plane- Built
Fig: Overhead plane-
Vegetation

2. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
The essence of a volume is its quality of
implied containment. A space :
• It may be static. It may direct and
concentrate interest and vision inward.
•It may open out. It may direct attention to
its frame and beyond. It may fall away or
seem to expand.
•It may be flowing and undulating,
suggesting directional movement.
• It may dominate an object or it may be
dominated by an object.
•It may have orientation inward, outward,
upward, downward, radial, or tangential.
•It may be so designed as to stimulate a
prescribed emotional reaction or to
produce a predetermined sequence of
such responses.
(source : Landscape Architecture – J.O Simonds)
SPATIAL QUALITY:
2
SPATIAL ORGANISATION:
The spaces can be organized in many
ways:
•Centralized: a central, dominant space
about which a number of secondary
spaces are grouped.
•Linear: a linear sequence of repetitive
spaces
•Radial: a central space from which linear
organizations of space extend in a radial
manner.
•Clustered: Spaces grouped by proximity
or the sharing of a common visual trait or
relationship.
•Grid: Spaces organized within the field of
Fig: Centralized Fig: Linear Fig: Radial Fig: Clustered Fig: Grid
Fig: Enclosure created by
landform and the
vegetation
Fig: Loose Enclosure
created by landform
Fig: Enclosure created by
the built form
Fig: visual continuity in the
space
Fig: visual continuity in the
space – ground plane
Fig: visual discontinuity in
the space – eye level
Fig: visual continuity in
the space –ceiling level
Fig: Space formed by
vertical elements –
directionality to the space
Fig: Claustrophobic environment
created by the vertical elements

3. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS3
BIRKENHEAD PARK, England,1847:
•Birkenhead became the first town to
react to the new concept for the
provision of public open space.
•Free flowing undulating space was
created out of swampy low lying land
which is seen as 20meters in a fairly
uniform slope.
•The space intended here was the
picturesque pastoral meadows defined
by the presence of clumps of trees.
•The landform also defines the space
and it facilitated the creation of rolling
meadow like parkland but was changed
around the lakes and mounds and
irregular berms were created which
enclosed the space and guided the
view.
•There are various vantage points from
where the site can be seen. There is no
one definite axis from where the
landscape can be experienced.
First Public Park: 125 acre of open space enclosed by residential area
Enclosure accentuated by earth mounds a
Clump of trees above it.
Mass of vegetation defining the space while
there is no visible organizing lines
Grand entrance: an object in the space
defining the access to the park

4. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS4
LEGEND:
1.Park Road North
2.Boothby Ground
3.Grand lodge
4.Ashville Road
5.Carriage Road
6.Upper lake
7.Boat house
8.Lower lake
9.Swiss bridge
10. Upper park
11.Lower park
12.Castellated
lodge
13.Park Road West
14.Park Road south
15.Italian Lodge
16.Gothic lodge
17.Park Road East
BIRKENHEAD PARK, EngN
100 metres
Vegetation defining the various
enclosure in the park
7.Boat house

5. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS5
100 metres
N

6. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS6
Fig: Plan of the Birkenhead Park showing the spatial organization

7. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS7
CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan, New York,
1873:
Aerial view of the central Park Vast meadow enclosed by clumps of trees
Landscape Architect
Frederick Law Olmstea
Architect:
Calvert Vaux
Area:
840 acre
Fig: Google image of the Central park

8. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS8
CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan, New
York :•The space here has been defined
by the massive usage of vegetation
as a means to enclose, guide view
and create experiences.
•This is an inward looking space and
the city is kept out of the park by
means of the vegetation- thick
boundary plantation. Thus creating
a natural setting in the park.
•The spatial organization was such
that it compliments the landform of
the site and views were guided.
North
Part plan of Central park

9. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS9
CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan, New
York :•There is a hierarchy of spaces and
a sequence and flow in the views.
•The space has been physically
divided into two halves by the large
reservoir in the middle of the site,
yet maintaining the visual unity of
the spaces.
•The space here is enclosed by the
vertical mass of vegetation.
•The space is flowing and the views
changes along the curvilinear path.
•Various vantage points have been
reinforced by the presence of a focal
point e.g. the “Angel of waters”
fountain.
Part plan of Central park

10. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Lake
10
Fig: Section through the Central Park
Fig: Section through the Central Park
Fig: Section through the Central Park
CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan, New
York :
Transverse Road No 1
the
The Mall
Vantage Point
Enclosure
Vantage
Belvederes Castle
Transverse Road No 2
Transverse Road No 2
Belvederes Castle
The great lawn
The reservoir
Transverse Road No 3 Transverse Road No 4
Transverse Road No 4
North Meadow
Great hill
Cliff

11. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
HYDE PARK, Central London,
England:
11
•The space intended here was a hunting
ground for the king. So it was designed in
way to facilitate the same purpose.
•The space here is defined by the avenues
that have been created along the
movement spines.
•Many enclosures are created by means of
the clumps or groups of trees.
•There is a directional quality in the space
design.
•There are various axes that cross each
other.
•The space overflows to the Kensington
Gardens.
Fig: Google image of the Hyde park
Space created by means of enclosure
provided by the trees
Space defined by the boundary
between water and land
Landscape
Architect:
JOSEPH PAXTON
Area:
350 acre

12. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Fig: Plan of the Hyde park showing the spatial organization
12
HYDE PARK, Central London,
England:
Experience created along the lake Space defined by the lake Directionality given Fig: Aerial view of the park

13. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS13
Regent’s Park, London:
Fig: Google image of the Regent’s
park
Aerial view of the park
Enclosure given by the
vegetation
Space definition by
means of the vegetation
Focal point in LandscapeFocal point in Landscape
The three of the principal
physical elements of the
layout are :
• the broad walk
• the inner circle
• the boating lake
The three of the principal
physical elements of the
layout are :
• the broad walk
• the inner circle
• the boating lake

14. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Regent’s Park, London:
Fig: Plan of the Regents’ park showing the spatial organization
14
Landscape Architect:
JOHN NASH
Area:
265 acre

15. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New Yo
Fig: Google image of the Prospect
park
15
Landscape
Architect:
Frederick Law
Olmstead
Architect:
Calvert Vaux
Area:
585 acre
Top Hill – enclosure given by the vegetation Space definition by the vegetation

16. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New Yo
Fig: Plan of the Prospect park showing the spatial organization
16

17. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Park Buttes Chaumont, Paris:
Fig: Google image of the Buttes Chaumont park
17
Landscape
Architect:
EDOUARD
FRANCOIS ANDRE
Area:
61 acre
Directionality provided by the vegetationEnclosure provided by the vegetation

18. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Park Buttes Chaumont, Paris:
Fig: Plan of the Buttes Chaumont park showing the spatial organization
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19. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Park De la Villette, Paris:
Fig: Google image of the Park De La Villete
19
Landscape
Architect:
BERNARD
TSHUMI
Area:
Point in Landscape space

20. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
Park De la Villette, Paris:
Fig: Plan of the Park de La Villette park showing the spatial organization Fig: Showing the various layers of the design of the Park
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21. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
•The Lodi Garden has an irregular polygonal
plan having undulating landform.
•The Tombs are situated at the higher
elevation with gradually sloping landform and
acts as a central stage to control entire system.
•An axes is laid from the entrance to the tomb
and it is further strengthen by the mass of
avenue plantation which creates directional
space.
•The monumental scale remains dominant
throughout the design in order to accentuate
the setting of the Tomb in the picturesque
landscape.
LODI GARDEN
Centralized spaces
around monuments
Enclosed by
Row of Palm
trees Spaces defined by
Clumps of trees
Spaces were organized in a way that Tombs
got the central stage to control entire system
Directional space Centralized space
Spatial volume under the
canopy of a tree
Vertical forms are more instrumental in
Defining spatial volume and providing
sense of enclosure
Sunken plane with water provides depth
to the object in the space
21

22. SPATIAL ORGANISATION Bineet ChhajerCOMPARITIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC PARKS
•Raj Ghat is completely enclosed by
built edges.
•The samadhi is placed in the centre of
the courtyard and the terrace (viewing
gallery) merges with the gradually
sloping landform creating unity with sky.
•
•In the main sanctum area of Shakti
Sthal is enclosed by the wooded
landforms.
•The wooded landform opens up in a
large meandering lake which creates
continuity to the adjacent space.
•Birbhumi is enclosed by vertical walls
and it was organised as a object in
space.
SAMADHI AREA:
Elevated horizontal plane separates
the viewing gallery from the
surroundings and creates a domain
with larger spatial contextCompletely enclosed space
Sunken base defines Space
Clumps of tree defines Space
Object in space
Vertical mass defines space
Combination of elevated and sunken base plane
to accentuate the enclosure quality
Symbolizes ridge and valley feeling
Fig: Plan of the Samadhi Area
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