As a landscape architect, Dan Kiley has significantly contributed to the world of design. The designer worked with influential architects such as Louis Kahn, I.M. Pei, and Eero Saarinen. Influenced by the timeless landscapes of André Le Nôtre, most of his designs are well-known for their manner of merging grids and allées, striking a balance between natural and organized beauty.
Opening January 18th, “The Landscape Architecture Legacy of Dan Kiley” exhibition is a traveling photographic exhibition honoring one of the most critical Modernist landscape architects. Curated by The Cultural Landscape Foundation, the display aims to explore and spread awareness of the architect’s profound impact. Showcased at The Exhibition Space @ ABC Stone in Brooklyn, the show offers a captivating journey through 27 carefully chosen designs by Dan Kiley.
On display until April 30, 2024, the exhibition offers a journey through 27 designs by the world-renowned Dan Kiley. These include iconic locations such as the Rockefeller University and the Ford Foundation Atrium in New York, Kenjockety in Westport, the Art Institute of Chicago’s South Garden, and Patterns, a garden in Wilmington, DE, crafted for Gov. & Mrs. Pierre S. “Pete” du Pont IV.
Kiley’s visionary approach and philosophy are narrated through a collection of photographs by renowned artists like Marion Benner, Todd Eberle, and Alan Ward. Additionally, the exhibition features insights into Kiley’s collaborations, featuring recollections from his colleagues and details about the architect’s creative process.
Dan Kiley worked on many significant projects throughout his career, but the design of Columbus, Indiana's Miller House and Garden is among his most well-known and iconic creations. This 1957 project, which was completed, is frequently regarded as “a masterwork of modernist landscape architecture.” Praised for blending indoor and outdoor spaces, the design combines geometric shapes with vegetation pools.
The architect is also remembered for the South Garden at the Art Institute of Chicago. Designed in collaboration with architect Eero Saarinen, the South Garden showcases the designer’s modernist philosophy and approach. Completed in 1962, the garden boasts clean lines, geometric patterns, and carefully placed plantings. The design uses a grid layout with other integrated elements of order and symmetry.
Landscape architecture shapes our environments and fosters relationships between people and their surroundings. This week, the Danish Landscape Award 2023 was awarded to the H.C. Andersen Garden designed by MASU Planning. Last month, BIG unveiled “Gelephu,” an envisioned master plan that draws from Bhutanese culture. The plan is filled with green spaces, adhering to the sustainable standards of the world’s first official carbon-negative country, Bhutan. Additionally, Archi-Tectonics NYX has completed the masterplan transformation for the Hangzhou Asian Games Park 2022. Spanning 116 Acres, the project includes an expansive Eco-Park and seven buildings, charting a new path for the city’s environmental future.
