The Places That Influenced Ian L. McHarg’s World of Thought: A Chronological Journey

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 6, 869 - 875

Kemal Köşe , Göksel Üstündağ , Alper Çabuk

https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1651038

Abstract

This article examines the key geographical locations that shaped the worldview of Ian L. McHarg, one of the pioneers of landscape architecture and ecological design. The places McHarg visited throughout his life played a crucial role in his understanding of nature and its relationship with human settlements. In particular, his 10,000-mile journey across the United States in 1949 provided significant insights into nature conservation and laid the foundation for ecological design approaches (Dönmez & Aktaş, 2021). Known for integrating human and natural systems, McHarg's work emphasized the necessity of preserving natural processes and aligning them with urban development (Slingerland et al., 2019). This article traces McHarg’s formative experiences, from his childhood in Clydebank, Scotland, to his military service in Europe, his academic work at Harvard University, and his extensive travels across the United States. Each geographical milestone uniquely contributed to his environmental philosophy and ultimately influenced his professional practices and educational initiatives. These experiences culminated in his groundbreaking work, Design with Nature, which became a cornerstone of the environmental movement and continues to inspire contemporary landscape architecture (Mainzer et al., 2019).

Keywords

Ecological Design , Nature-Based Design , Environmental Philosophy

Ian L. McHarg’ın Düşünce Dünyasını Etkileyen Mekanlar: Kronolojik Bir Yolculuk

Abstract

Bu makale, peyzaj mimarlığı ve ekolojik tasarımın öncülerinden Ian L. McHarg'ın dünya görüşünü şekillendiren önemli coğrafi yerleri incelemektedir. McHarg'ın yaşamı boyunca ziyaret ettiği yerler, doğayı ve doğanın insan yerleşimleriyle ilişkisini anlamasında önemli bir rol oynamıştır. Özellikle, 1949 yılında Amerika Birleşik Devletleri'nde yaptığı 10.000 millik yolculuk, doğanın korunması konusunda önemli içgörüler sağlamış ve ekolojik tasarım yaklaşımlarının temelini atmıştır (Dönmez ve Aktaş, 2021). İnsan ve doğal sistemleri bütünleştirmesiyle tanınan McHarg'ın çalışmaları, doğal süreçlerin korunması ve kentsel gelişimle uyumlu hale getirilmesinin gerekliliğini vurgulamıştır (Slingerland vd. 2019). Bu makale, McHarg'ın İskoçya'nın Clydebank kentindeki çocukluğundan Avrupa'daki askerlik görevine, Harvard Üniversitesi'ndeki akademik çalışmalarına ve Amerika Birleşik Devletleri'nde yaptığı kapsamlı seyahatlere kadar uzanan biçimlendirici deneyimlerinin izini sürmektedir. Her coğrafi dönüm noktası, çevre felsefesine benzersiz bir şekilde katkıda bulunmuş ve nihayetinde profesyonel uygulamalarını ve eğitim girişimlerini etkilemiştir. Bu deneyimlerin doruk noktası, çevre hareketinin temel taşı haline gelen ve çağdaş peyzaj mimarlığına ilham vermeye devam eden “Doğa ile Tasarım” adlı ufuk açıcı çalışmasında yansıtılmıştır (Mainzer vd. 2019).

Keywords

Ekolojik Tasarım , Doğa Temelli Tasarım , Çevre Felsefesi

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