The Line of Grace: Principles of Road Aesthetics in the Design of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Abstract

This case study centers on the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), NC and VA (1934–1987), which is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the United States. However, very little has been published about the origins of its physical design or the design process. This article examines the design attributes of the BRP in conjunction with the eighteenth-century aesthetic theories of William Hogarth and Edmund Burke. The theories proposed that specific principles, such as the serpentine Line of Grace and smoothly transitioned variety, were fundamental to beauty. These attributes and others are reviewed in conjunction with the BRP. Qualitative methods were used to explore the hypothesis, including secondary and primary sources, field work, and elite interviews with persons associated with the BRP design. Results indicate that the BRP appears to embody several of the principles of Hogarth and Burke. A direct link to Hogarth and Burke was not found—that is, the BRP was not consciously designed according to their theories. However, links to the eighteenth century theories were found in the designer’s education and apprenticeship. Twentieth-century empirical research appears to support some of Hogarth’s and Burke’s propositions. This inquiry is unusual in contemporary road-related research in that it uses normative (art) theory as a basis for examining road design. It concludes that the fine arts training of landscape architects was important to the design approach and aesthetic success of the BRP and suggests ways of incorporating the classic aesthetic principles in future road design.