Comments on: Leonard Springer and the underpass http://www.historicalgardensblog.com/2010/04/06/leonard-springer-and-the-underpass/ Unconnected Reports on Garden History | by Henk van der Eijk Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:00:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: HvdE http://www.historicalgardensblog.com/2010/04/06/leonard-springer-and-the-underpass/comment-page-1/#comment-1027 HvdE Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:39:58 +0000 http://www.historicalgardensblog.com/?p=2401#comment-1027 Spotted another Springer underpass today, a more traditional example this time. This one is known at Wageningen UR as 01.834.01, is part of the Springer collection, and is probably a design made for study purposes. Alas, I do not have an image of this design. I'll try to describe it. In this traditional example the lower path leads along the water, just above water level. On the other side of the path the bank gradually gets higher, resulting in a steep slope leading to the top of the bank. From there the bridge crosses, arching over the bank, the path and the water to the other bank: an island. On that island, a small building awaits the pedestrian crossing the bridge. That building is also visible from the lower path at the other side of the water. Springer found a very clever way to induce people to leave the lower path as soon as possible to get on the bridge to reach that building on the other side. In this example the road towards the bridge from that point is long and one could easily get diverted away from the bridge. It is a briliant example of garden architecture, using the power of seduction to lead visitors through the garden by offering them diverse views that keep them going. Love this, hope to be able to add an image soon. Spotted another Springer underpass today, a more traditional example this time. This one is known at Wageningen UR as 01.834.01, is part of the Springer collection, and is probably a design made for study purposes. Alas, I do not have an image of this design. I’ll try to describe it.

In this traditional example the lower path leads along the water, just above water level. On the other side of the path the bank gradually gets higher, resulting in a steep slope leading to the top of the bank. From there the bridge crosses, arching over the bank, the path and the water to the other bank: an island.
On that island, a small building awaits the pedestrian crossing the bridge. That building is also visible from the lower path at the other side of the water. Springer found a very clever way to induce people to leave the lower path as soon as possible to get on the bridge to reach that building on the other side.
In this example the road towards the bridge from that point is long and one could easily get diverted away from the bridge.

It is a briliant example of garden architecture, using the power of seduction to lead visitors through the garden by offering them diverse views that keep them going.
Love this, hope to be able to add an image soon.

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