Landscape Architecture as Art: C. Th. Sørensen. A Humanist

Abstract

C. Th. Søorensen (1893-1979) was a leader of the early modernists in landscape architecture. His work is virtually unknown outside his native Denmark. This article reviews his writings in depth and introduces some of his over 2,000 built works to an English-speaking audience. His interpretation of landscape-architecture history is valid to anyone searching for the roots of early modernism. Equally important are his strong views of landscape architecture as a public art form. His built and written works are a testimony to the importance of good design. “We accept the idea of beauty and recognize our extraordinary need for it. We are not satisfied to create things that fulfill their function. They must also be beautiful, sometimes only beautiful.”