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Very cool!
is this the spot that has been blocked off for several years?
Yes – since 2019 or so
I like the ambition here: Newfields is preparing to spend $10 million on a new flower and vegetable garden. But based on the rendering, the result looks less like a beautifully designed landscape for a National Historic Landmark than an amateur community garden scaled up and dropped onto a museum campus. I am stunned that this could pass any internal design review. Compare the attached image to gardens that look great and make you feel good, like London’s Italian Gardens or the gardens at Chateau VIllandry. What exactly are the credentials of the design team? That is, specifically, what and where are their best precedent projects – what are they. And most importantly, how good are they? Cuz if this it their best..(smh). This is not good. There is no hierarchy, no spatial rhythm, no coherent sightlines, no room-making, no controlled massing, and no underlying design discipline of any kind. God forbid… Whether formal or English in style, great gardens always possess structure. This has no structure. For a site next to Oldfields, one of America’s great early 20th-century estates (a prized indy asset that needs to be treated like one with a higher caliber design) this level of design completely. Tell me where I am wrong here.
The problem is not money or donor intent. It is the chronic misconception that “local” automatically means “capable.” Indianapolis cannot grow bananas or oranges, so we import them. Likewise, if we lack local expertise in delivering world-class gardens, and from this rendering, we clearly do, then we must look further afield. Our forefathers understood this when they held an international competition to design the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Just because a local firm is willing to take the fee (or even if the do it for free) does not mean they are able or that we should hire them for anything of this significance. This is how cities end up with mediocrity (or worse) baked into their built environment for generations. Sad, very sad. We must do better. Indy, PLEASE – aspire higher.
The landscape architecture firm hired for this project is not local, and as a design professional, I have never heard of them. Indianapolis happens to have world-class landscape architecture firms. Perhaps Rundell Ernstberger, Merritt/Chase or Land Collective would have delivered a more exciting design. Paul, your ‘chronic misconception’ is chronically misplaced.
After carefully reading the article about what Newfields has planned, it sounds as if Paul’s goals for a garden are different from Newfields’ goals for the garden. So – forgive the metaphor – it appears you are comparing your apples to their oranges. I, for one, am thrilled that an asphalt parking lot is being eliminated to create a flexible-use pavilion, fountains, a grotto, and an edible garden.
Agree, Paul M.! I find that rendering (if at all close to what will come to fruition) sad, disappointing, and uninspiring, especially considering the $10M price tag.
Let’s ease up on the world class claims. But yes, this is pretty low level.
Couldn’t agree more with Paul. This seems like a totally “modest” endeavor at best. For that amount of money we should expect to see something “world class”, and something unique in the Midwest. With what is shown in the rendering this is anything but unique. If the museum has $10 million to spend how about purchasing some major art pieces (what a concept!) or put that amount towards planning for a new addition for contemporary art or better yet hiring some world class curators (couldn’t that make a difference!). I for one am very disappointed in what Newfields is doing here.
Alright then Craig, my mistake…You are right, “Pennsylvania-based RAS Landscape Architects…” Still not good. If this is the result, I still can’t fathom how they got hired for the job (other than civic engineering) – by an art museum that should be run by people who should have some aesthetic taste, but this is horrible. Presumably, the $10mm budget is eaten up by the “flexible-use pavilion, elevated viewing area, grotto and reflecting pools,” resulting in an over-programmed project that left out proper attention to basic principles of gardening aesthetics. The mistake is to rely for on landscape architects who mostly deal with
grading, drainage, ADA, utilities and construction documents. Presumably they didn’t engage who was needed here, a landscape gardener or garden designer, which is an artist of spatial composition and creators of atmospheric beauty that is missing. Looks like professional malpractice…An art museum should know better.
The garden design and plantings are in many ways the easier, and certainly the less expensive portions of this project. As others have noted, one assumes most of the project’s budget and planning has been directed toward the planned new hard infrastructure such as the pavilion and grottos.
But, the actual garden can still be rethought and greatly improved—this is only a preliminary design sketch. There is time to develop and implement a better and more beautiful garden.
Also, while I agree a new addition to the contemporary art galleries would be wonderful, the cost of planning, constructing, and operating such an addition would far exceed a measly $10 million. Newfields has a history of getting into difficult financial circumstances by overspending on major museum additions, and it should not repeat past mistakes.
Sometimes, too often and sadly, contracts may be secured based on relationships rather than expertise, experience, or effectiveness. Some[one] may have had no other choice but to hold their nose and sign.
not an inexpensive endeavor by any means, but $10million????
Newfields is and should be a jewel in our city. I agree that we should aspire to better and higher.
People love to hate on it – but it’s the best year round all ages museum we have to offer.